Famous Demos

Alvin Ailey – choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York.

Carmen De Lavallade – Dancer, Performer, Actor

Dorothy Dandridge – an American actress and popular singer. First African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for the movie Carmen Jones.

Woody Strode – (Actor, Football Player) Veteran of 30 films including "The Ten Commandments −1956", "Spartacus −1960", "Posse" −1993 (See Football)

Mablean Ephriam – Television Personality – "Judge Mablean"

Merry Clayton – Actress, Singer – Eight Episode of "Cagney and Lacey", Acted in "Maid to Order" with Alley Sheedy (See Singer below)

Juanita Moore – Actress – The 4th African American nominated for an Oscar. Participated in over 50 movies; best known for her role as the mother in the movie "Imitation of Life"

Matthew Beard (American actor) – Actor (Our gang Little Rascals Series)

Iwao Takamoto – Animator, Design the character image of the Hanna-Barbera Production cartoon Scooby-Doo.

John Meehan Known as "Francis"–Jefferson Plays,U.S.C Architecture,then Motion Picture Art Director. Won Academy Awards for Art Direction for the films: "The Heiress","Sunset Blvd","20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", Television Art Direction:Emmy Nomination-G.E.Theatre. Graduated Class of 1922.

Ralph Bunche (1922) – Educator, UN mediator on Palestine and Nobel Peace Prize Winner

Thelton Henderson – Federal Judge in the Northern District of California.

Willard H. Murray, Jr. – California State Assembly Member 1988–1996 (District 52); California Institute for the Preservation of Jazz. Current director of the Water Replenishment District 1. Father of Former State Senator Kevin Murray ref: Testimony of Buddy Collette & Marl Young

Augustus F. Hawkins – U.S. House of Representatives from California's 21st and 29th district from 1963–1991; California assembly from 1935–1963

David W. Williams – Judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of California; first African American Federal Judge from states west of the Mississippi.

William R Clay – Appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to Superior Court judge in October 1976

Earl C. Gay (1902–75), Los Angeles City Council member, 1933–45

Floyd Dixon – Songwriter, Singer – Hit Songs "Telephone Blues", "Call Operator 210" and "Hey Bartender", the latter enjoying wide exposure by the release of 1980 hit "The Blues Brothers".

Roy Ayers – Jazz Composer and Vibraphone player – Arranged Musical Score for 1973 movie "Coffy" and classic albums "Running Away 1976" and "Mystic Voyage 1975".

Richard Berry – Songwriter, Singer – Wrote Classic Hit Song "Louie Louie" made popular by The Kingsmen.

Rickey Minor – Emmy-nominated music director, composer, and music producer; widely known for the title 'Music Director" for television series The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, American Idol and Don't Forget The Lyrics!

Barry White – Record Producer, Singer Song Writer; Five times Grammy Award Winner; attended Jefferson for sophomore and junior year.

Horace Tapscott – Jazz Piano player and composer Subject of UCLA Jazz Archive called the Horace Tapscott Collection. Creator of "The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (P.A.P.A.)".

Jesse Belvin – Songwriter, Singer – Co-Wrote "Goodnight My Love" used to end Alan Freed Show; co-credited as one of writers of "Earth Angel" made popular by The Penguins.

Johnny "Guitar" Watson – American Blues and Funk guitarist/singer.

Young Jessie – Songwriter, Singer – Famous for the hit song "Mary Lou".

The Penguins – 3 group members – Curtis Williams, Bruce Tate, and Ray Brewster – The Group sang the Original Song "Earth Angel"

The Platters – 3 original group members – Gaynel Hodge, Alex Hodge, Cornell Gunter and 1 alumni, Ray Brewster

The Coasters – 1 group member – Cornell Gunter

The Cadillacs – 1 group member – Ray Brewster

The Hollywood Flames −1 group member- Ray Brewster

Mighty Clouds of Joy – 1 group member – Johnny Martin – Recorded over 25 albums and received two Grammy Award and a host of other awards

Etta James – Blues singer – Famous for hit song "At Last"

Ernie Andrews – Jazz Blues Singer

Merry Clayton – (Singer, Actress) Solo and Backup. Recorded "Gimme Shelter" duet with Mick Jagger. "Who can I count on" with Bobby Darin. (Also see Television/film)

O.C. Smith – Jazz Singer, Minister Performed with Count Basie Orchestra; he recorded the first version of the song "That Life" made famous by Frank Sinatra. He had numerous hit songs in his long career.

Mel Walker – Lead Singer with the Johnny Otis Orchestra " No 1 hits "Mistrustin' Blues" and "Cupid Boogie"

Cornell Gunter – Lead Singer – Original member of the The Platters and a member of The Coasters singing group. Transferred to Manual Arts his senior year.

Jennell Hawkins – Lead Singer – famous for her hit "Moments to Remember"

Ivie Anderson – Lead Singer – Performed with Duke Ellington orchestra between 1931 and 1942

Arthur Lee Maye – of Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns, was lead singer of the pioneering groups of the Doo Wop genre in the early 1950s.

Richard Berry -Singer, songwriter, musician. Most famous for writing Louie Louie, Berry performed with numerous Los Angeles doo-wop groups including The Flairs.

Romeo Doubs - NFL Football - (Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver since 2022) #87

Emmett Ashford – First African American Umpire in Major League Baseball

Andy Bakjian – National Track and Field Hall of Fame Official was a longtime coach at Jefferson.

Don Bishop – NFL Football – (Cowboys, Steelers and Bears) Seven Year veteran, 1 Pro bowl

Milt Davis – NFL Football – Played four years for the Baltimore Colts from 1957 to 1961; including winning the 1958 NFL Championship games known as the "Greatest Game ever Played"

Charles Dumas – Olympic Track – High Jump (Olympic and World Record Holder), the first person to clear seven feet (1956 Olympic trials); Attended Jefferson in his sophomore and Junior years; transferred to Centennial High School in Compton

Robert Garrett - 5 Time CIF LA CITY DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL COACH from Crenshaw High School (Los Angeles)

Joe Kelly (American football) – NFL Football – Drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals

Edgar Lacey (1945–2011), UCLA basketball, "Game of the Century"

Lee Maye – MLB Baseball – 13 years in baseball " played first 6 years with the Milwaukee braves with Hank Aaron. (See singer)

Glenn McDonald – NBA Basketball, Boston Celtics

Billy 'the Hill' McGill – NBA Basketball, - Played on the Chicago Zephyrs (now Washington Wizards), the New York Knicks, the St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks, and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bernard Quarles – NFL Football – Rams 1987 – Quarterback NFL and CFL veteran

Woody Strode – NFL Football – Actor, Football Player - Played for the Rams in 1946; ending George Preston Marshall gentleman agreement to ban black players.

Mal Whitfield – Olympic Track – gold medalist middle distance runner in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and father of current CNN news anchor Fredricka Whitfield

William Grant Still – Gave Music Clinics to Jefferson student in Samuel R Browne era.

Jimmie Lunceford – Gave Music Clinics in 1930's to Jefferson student

Caughey Roberts – Jefferson band teacher in 1930's

Dexter Gordon – Jazz Saxophonist player known for his music and supporting role in the movie "Round Midnight"

Sonny Criss – Jazz Saxophone player – Transferred from Jordon to Jefferson

Addison Farmer – Jazz Bassist

Frank Morgan (musician) – Jazz Saxophone Player

Chico Hamilton – Jazz Drummer Player

Lee Young – Jazz Drummer player

Jack McVea – Jazz and dixieland saxophone player Created the musical riff for the song "Open the Door, Richard"

Art Farmer – Jazz Trumpet player

Bill Douglass – Jazz Drummer player (First black member of Benny Goodmans Band)

Ernie Royal – Jazz Trumpet Player

Marshal Royal – Jazz Saxophone Player

Lammar Wright, Jr. – Jazz Trumpet player

Vi Redd – Jazz Saxophone player

Jackie Kelson – Jazz saxophone player

Ginger Smock – Concert and Jazz Violinist

Don Cherry – Jazz Trumpet Player – Step Father to entertainer Neneh Cherry

Melba Liston – Jazz Trombone Player – Attended Jefferson, but transferred to Polytechnic.

Ed Thigpen – Jazz Drummer Player

Big Jay McNeely – Jazz Saxophone Player – Transferred from Jordan to Jefferson

Tony Maiden (1967) – Guitarist – In 1974, Maiden joined Rufus—which featured Chaka Kahn and was one of the biggest-selling bands of the 1970s. Source: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/5_Funk_Guitarists_You_Should_Know?page=4