Bland, James A. (James Allen), 1854-1911

found: New Grove dict. of Amer. mus.(Bland, James Allen; b. 10-22-1854, Flushing, N.Y., d. 5-5-11, Philadelphia, Pa.; minstrel performer and songwriter)

found: Wikipedia, viewed October 4, 2013(James Alan Bland (October 22, 1854 - May 5, 1911), also known as Jimmy Bland, was an African-American musician and song writer.)

found: Grove Music Online, accessed June 10, 2015, via Oxford African American Studies Center database:(Bland, James A.; songwriter, minstrel show performer; born 22 October, 1854 in Flushing, New York, United States; educated at law department, Howard University, Washington, DC; learnt to play the banjo, taught himself harmony and began composing songs; leading performer at Original Black Diamonds, in Boston (1875), Bohee Minstrels (1876), then Sprague's Georgia Minstrels (1881); member of English companies and solo performer, in England (1882-1890); toured with W.S. Cleveland's Colossal Colored Carnival Minstrels, USA (1890); sang for Black Patti's Troubadours (1898); his most famous song, Carry me back to old Virginny, was adopted by the State of Virginia as its official state song (1940); died 05 May, 1911 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States)