James Douglas Bohee (1847-1897) and his brother George (1857-1930) were among the earliest Black musicians to record their music. They were a Canadian musical duo of Caribbean descent who played the banjo. The Bohee Brothers were born in Indiantown (now Saint John), New Brunswick. They later moved to Boston, Massachusetts where their musical careers began. James, who taught himself to play the banjo gradually gained professional experience playing in Boston beer halls in the late 1860s.

From 1876, the brothers toured the United States as members of Bohee Minstrels, a company they managed and promoted. They later joined Callender’s Georgia Minstrels and Haverly’s Genuine Coloured Minstrels in 1878. In 1881, they sailed to England as members of Haverly’s Coloured Minstrels. When the rest of the troupe returned to the United States in 1882, they stayed in Europe to continue touring and performing.

During the off-season, the brothers manufactured banjos and gave lessons from their shop, the Gardenia Club, on Leicester Square. They opened a banjo studio in London’s West End, where the future king of England, Albert Prince of Wales, became their most famous pupil. When Albert became King Edward VII in 1901, he allowed the brothers to use the moniker the Royal Bohee Brothers.

Their company, also known as the Bohee Brothers Coloured Minstrel Company and the Bohee Operatic Minstrels, employed both white and Black performers. It toured regularly from 1889 until James’ death on December 8, 1897. The Bohee Operatic Minstrels disbanded in 1898, but George Bohee continued to tour as a solo act and made a living as a musician until at least 1905. He returned to the United States and lived in New York city in 1925. The exact date of his death is unknown.

The Bohee Brothers were branded as the greatest attraction and among the finest banjoists of the day. Some of their well-known songs include “I’ll Meet Her When The Sun Goes Down”, “The Darkey’s Wedding”, “The Darkey’s Patrol”, “The Yellow Kid’s Patrol”, “Bohemian Gallop”, “The Darkey’s Dream”, “The Darkey’s Awakening”, “Medley of Airs”, “Restless March”, “March in C”, “Hunter’s March”, and “Niagara March”.