Shelton Brooks was a songwriter, pianist, comedian, and actor born in 1886 in Amherstburg, Ontario. His father was a preacher at a Nazery African Methodist Episcopal Church, where Brooks taught himself to play the pump organ and piano as a young boy. His family moved to Detroit in 1901, where he began to take interest in acting and comedy. Brooks worked as a ragtime pianist in Detroit and Chicago clubs before joining the Keith and Orpheum vaudeville circuits as a comedian, notably as a Bert Williams impersonator. He toured the USA and Canada as a vaudevillian, played in bands such as Jazz Hounds and Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds – with which he performed for King George V as part of their 1923 European tour, and led an orchestra in Chicago. During the 1920’s, Brooks appeared in various capacities, working as a singer, comedian, master of ceremonies, and pianist. He appeared in various Broadway productions then, and in 1930, had a bi-weekly show on CBS radio with Bird Allen called Egg and Shell. He appeared in films like Adventures of Kitty O’Day, and Professor Creeps, and would continue to perform until the 1970s. He also sang and provided piano accompaniments on recordings with Ethel Waters, and Sara Martin.

Despite his many talents, Shelton Brooks is best known for his work as a songwriter. His biggest hit, “Some of These Days,” was inspired by an argument he overheard between a woman and her companion at a restaurant, when he heard her say “some of these days, you’re gonna miss me, honey.” He passed the song off to burlesque-vaudeville singer, Sophie Tucker, through a connection he had with her maid, and Tucker quickly adopted it as her theme song. She would perform the tune regularly for fifty-five years and eventually named her autobiography after the song. Brooks continued to write songs over four decades, including “The Darktown Strutters Ball” which was published in 1916, and was inspired by Brooks’ days as an orchestra leader. The song was a huge vaudevillian hit, and crossed racial lines, being loved by both Black and white audiences. “The Darktown Strutters Ball” was recorded by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in 1917. He also penned “Walkin’ the Dog,” which resulted in a dance craze across the U.S.. These songs, including other compositions by Brooks’ such as “You Ain’t Talkin’ To Me” and “Honey Gal” (which were written for Al Jolson,) became jazz standards and are still performed today.

By the 1940’s, Brooks had moved to LA, where he would live until his death in 1975. He was honored at the 25th anniversary of ASCAP in 1940, and was later inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.