Minto Cato introduced the lover’s lament, “Memories of You,” in Lew Leslie’s musical revue, Blackbirds of 1930. Opening at the the Eltinge Theatre in New York, March 4, 1929, the eagerly awaited show ran for only 57 performances.

The cast of Blackbirds of 1930 was a veritable who’s who of African American entertainers of the day, including Ethel Waters, Mantan Moreland, Blue McAllister, Jazzlips Richardson, Neeka Shaw, Broadway Jones, Minto Cato, The Berry Brothers, Buck and Bubbles, Cecil Mack’s Choir, and Flournoy Miller (who also wrote the book.)

Lew Leslie enlisted the help of Eubie Blake (1883-1983) to write the score for Blackbirds of 1930. Blake was no stranger to Broadway as he had collaborated with Noble Sissle, Flournoy Miller, and Aubrey Lyles on Shuffle Along (1921), the first Broadway musical written, produced, and performed by African Americans. Starring Josephine Baker, Ethel Waters, and Paul Robeson, the musical ran for 504 performances and grossed nearly $8 million. Shuffle Along marked a turning point for the New York theater scene and has even been credited as the beginning of what would be termed the Harlem Renaissance. Blake and Sissle went on to collaborate on the musical Elsie (1923) and the revue Chocolate Dandies (1924).

It was during his work on Blackbirds of 1930 that Blake met Andy Razaf (1895-1973). Razaf was well known in songwriting circles for his collaborations with Fats Waller which included the hits “Honeysuckle Rose” (1929), “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (1929), and “Black and Blue” (1929). Blake and Razaf would become a prolific writing team, going on to collaborate on more than 80 songs, the best known of which are “Memories of You” and “You’re Lucky to Me,” also from Blackbirds of 1930.

The song first appeared on the charts in 1930, rising to number 18, courtesy of Louis Armstrong. Ten years later The Ink Spots’ rendition reached number 29. The most played and probably best-remembered version, however, was by high-note trumpeter Sonny Dunham, who played with Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra.

“Memories of You” resurfaced on Broadway in the musical revue, Eubie, a biographical show starring Gregory Hines, Marion Ramsey, Ethel Beatty, and Terry Burrell. The show, based on the life of Eubie Blake, opened at the Ambassador Theater on September 20, 1978, and ran for 439 performances.