Hartzell "Tiny" Parham - Tiny's Stomp (aka Oriental Blues)

For Parham's official biography I refer to my posting of his sensational "Cathedral Blues". However, according to his WWI draft registration card, this biography is to be rewritten: born on Dec. 25th 1897, as indicated on his card, which is supported by the 1900 US Census, recording him in St. Joseph, Missouri (MO) as Hartzell Parn, born Dec. 1897 and the 1910 U.S. Census, which noted him as being 12 years of age on April 13th that year. It is not until he was enumerated as 30-yr old Hartzell S. Parham in the 1930 US Census that his age agrees with a birth date of Feb. 25th 1900 given in most books. Some sources state the “S” stood for “Strathdene”, but this card mentions “Robert” (his father’s given name). Parham’s obituary in The Chicago Defender (April 24th1943) states he was born in Winnipeg, Canada and moved to Kansas City, MO at young age. However, this is at variance with all three of the census entries, indicating Missouri as his birthplace. This great record was made in 1928.