Pigmeat Markham
Updated: 12/20/2025, 11:31:22 AM Wikipedia source
Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham (April 18, 1904 – December 13, 1981) was an American entertainer. Though best known as a comedian, Markham was also a singer, dancer, and actor. His nickname came from a stage routine, in which he declared himself to be "Sweet Poppa Pigmeat". He was sometimes credited in films as Pigmeat "Alamo" Markham. He is also known for his 1968 single "Here Comes the Judge", which is often considered to be the earliest hip hop record.
Infobox
Born
Dewey Markham(1904-04-18)April 18, 1904Durham, North Carolina, U.S.
Died
December 13, 1981(1981-12-13) (aged 77)The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Occupations
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Years active
1917–1981
Spouse
Bernice Markham (m. ?–1981)
Tables
· Discography › Singles
US
US
Year
US
Single
USR&B
Chart Positions
UK
Chart Positions
AU
1945
1945
Year
1945
Single
"How Long, How Long Blues"
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
"Blues Before Sunrise"
"Blues Before Sunrise"
Year
"Blues Before Sunrise"
Single
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
1946
1946
Year
1946
Single
"See See Rider"
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
1961
1961
Year
1961
Single
"My Wife? No, I Ain't Seen Her"
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
1968
1968
Year
1968
Single
"Here Comes the Judge"
Chart Positions
19
Chart Positions
4
Chart Positions
19
Chart Positions
71
"Sock It to 'Em Judge"
"Sock It to 'Em Judge"
Year
"Sock It to 'Em Judge"
Single
103
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
1970
1970
Year
1970
Single
"Pig's Popcorn"
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
Chart Positions
-
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | |||
| US | USR&B | UK | AU | ||
| 1945 | "How Long, How Long Blues" | - | - | - | - |
| "Blues Before Sunrise" | - | - | - | - | |
| 1946 | "See See Rider" | - | - | - | - |
| 1961 | "My Wife? No, I Ain't Seen Her" | - | - | - | - |
| 1968 | "Here Comes the Judge" | 19 | 4 | 19 | 71 |
| "Sock It to 'Em Judge" | 103 | - | - | - | |
| 1970 | "Pig's Popcorn" | - | - | - | - |
References
- AllMusichttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/p195/biography
- The African American Registryhttp://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/pigmeat-markham-comedian-extraordinaire
- New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/16/obituaries/dewey-pigmeat-markham-vaudville-and-tv-comedian.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A9%22%7D
- XXLhttps://web.archive.org/web/20181107224825/http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2011/04/did-pigmeat-markham-release-the-first-hip-hop-song/
- The Library of Congresshttps://blogs.loc.gov/music/2023/08/early-hip-hop-at-the-library-of-congress/#:~:text=With%20%E2%80%9CHere%20Comes%20the%20Judge,of%20rap%20in%20later%20decades.
- Jacob Lawrence and The Migration Serieshttps://web.archive.org/web/20080228052639/http://www.phillipscollection.org/education/exploring-The%20North.pdf
- "allmusic (((Pigmeat Markham > Discography > Main Albums)))"https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p195/discography
- Showtime at the Apollohttps://archive.org/details/showtimeatapollo00foxt/page/94
- "African American Legacy of The Woodlawn Cemetery"https://web.archive.org/web/20080104091819/http://www.thewoodlawncemetery.org/africanamerican.html
- museumofuncutfunk.comhttps://museumofuncutfunk.com/2011/10/06/thats-some-funny-shit-exhibition/
- WFMU's Beware of the Bloghttps://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2010/11/the-forgotten-pigmeat-markham.html
- APF Reporter Vol. 3 #2https://web.archive.org/web/20080119215936/http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF0302/Watkins/Watkins.html
- Country Thang Dailyhttps://www.countrythangdaily.com/archie-campbells-where-oh-where-pfft-you-was-gone/
- www.theaustralian.com.auhttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/books/reasons-rhyme-for-a-history-under-raps/story-e6frg8nf-1226011610605
- "Pigmeat Markham at Billboard.com"https://www.billboard.com/artist/pigmeat-markham/chart-history/
- Here come the judge!http://archive.org/details/herecomejudge00mark
- HeraldCourier.comhttps://heraldcourier.com/community/on-the-record-children-s-show-from-1960s-used-little-known-folk-song-as-theme/article_cc6af83c-876d-5e70-bc19-84c3a4d19928.html
- Jethttps://books.google.com/books?id=s0EDAAAAMBAJ&q=pigmeat+markham+stroke&pg=PA13
- www.woodlawn.orghttps://www.woodlawn.org/conservancy/notable-residents/black-history/
- HOW LONG - HOW LONG BLUEShttp://archive.org/details/78_how-long-how-long-blues_pigmeat-alamo-markham-oliver-rev-mesheuxs-blue-six_gbia0234278a