Pat Silver and Joey Hollingsworth at the Toronto International Tap Dance Festival
Submitted by Pat Silver
He’s been known as Mr. Maple Leaf of Canada in Peru, The Dancing Salesman on Mister Rogers’ TV Show, and the Hot Mikado on Broadway, but to me, he’s Joey.
Watch Joey Hollingsworth – The Interview
Courtesy of Dance Collection Danse
I had the privilege and pleasure of playing piano and singing in Joey Hollingsworth’s touring band in the early 1970s. The stories, the memories, the accolades, and the opportunities have influenced my music career for decades.
Joey Hollingsworth was honoured on August 21 at the Toronto International Tap Dance Festival Milestone ceremony, on the heels of his 90th birthday, recognizing his extraordinary career and legacy. One of the greatest entertainers ever to come out of Canada, Joey was a ground breaker. In 1954, he was the first person of colour to appear on CBC television, as a competitor on “Pick the Stars”. He should have won, but he later met the one judge who voted against him. He said, “how is this little Black dancer from London, Ontario ever going to be a star?”. Joey proved him wrong.
Joey Hollingsworth was born in 1936 in London, Ontario, and was raised by adoptive parents in a three-room apartment. He was dancing professionally by the time he was five. Joey learned Afro-diasporic rhythm and soul from his Grandfather Huskey Henderson, railway porters, jazz drummers, and Black dancers. In the 1940s, he met and danced with the most famous tapper, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, backstage at a performance in London, Ontario. Later, in a nod to his mentor, Joey’s signature piece in his nightclub act was “Mr. Bojangles”, always bringing the audience to their feet.
His appearance on the famed “Ed Sullivan Show” in 1962 as a young dancer propelled him into the spotlight. “When I did the Ed Sullivan Show, it was the scariest. The sound came to me delayed so I was dancing behind the beat.” So, Sullivan arranged for the conductor to show him the time so that when he did splits in the air, he came down on time. “And Sullivan liked it.” And so did the millions of people who were watching.
Joey went on to an impressive TV career that included “Wayne and Shuster”, “Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood” as the Dancing Salesman, “Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour”, “The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show”, “Cross Canada Hit Parade” and “The Billy O’Connor Show”. Joey was directed by Norman Jewison in the “CBC Special Christmas with the Stars” in 1956 and acted with Portia White in “Playdate: In the Good Time” in 1961. He recorded with famed Canadian guitarist Lenny Breau. He performed across Canada and in Japan, dancing, singing and playing congas.
Joey was a champion of human rights and equality. “The show I did for Martin Luther King was the most exciting. King was on a march, so he sent Harry Belefonte to fill in, and Oscar Peterson was on piano”.
The year I spent touring with Joey was thrilling. We opened nightclubs. We played for Pierre Elliot Trideau, who later brought Joey into his office to ask him to record a song. We premiered the Ontario Place Forum. The story behind that show is one of caring and resilience. We played the afternoon rehearsal and Joey left, limping. We assumed he had twisted an ankle, a serious problem for a dancer. That night he came back and put on a stellar tap performance for a sold-out crowd – then left without saying “goodbye”. The next day the band received the news that Joey was in intensive care and hanging on by a thread. Later we asked him why he insisted on performing when he was so ill. “I didn’t want to disappoint my band.” After a couple of months of recovery, we were back on the road.
Then there was the evening at a very fancy supper club where a storm cut all of the power. The band assumed we would go home, but Joey persevered. He instructed the waiters to put candles on the tables and the band to play hand claps and drums, while Joey entertained the diners for nearly two hours.
Joey has received multiple awards and accolades for his work and contributions, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Black History Society, and induction into the Dance Collection Danse Hall of Fame and London Music Hall of Fame. The Toronto International Tap Dance Festival premiered a short film about Joey, showing highlights of his stellar career and celebrating his legacy.
What is Joey’s advice to a young artist? “Practice, keep your head above water because it is extremely hard to be in the profession of tap dancer. To make it, you must be diligent and stick with it. Never give up. People will shut doors on you but stick with it and you will make it.”
Joey never gave up. At almost 90 and nearly blind, he still has that spark that inspires.