See Also: Jolson, Al(encyclopedia)
Jolson, Al(dictionary)

Jolson, Al (oh)



(1886-1950) a white US singer who wore black make-up to look like a black person, and sang songs associated with black people. He is famous for his emotional performances, and for appearing in the first film with sound, The Jazz Singer, in 1927, in which he said the famous phrase "You ain't heard nothin' yet!" His songs include Mammy and Swanee.Today, if white actors and singers wore make-up to look like black people, it would be regarded as very offensive.