Bandleader, songwriter ("Minnie the Moocher", "Are You Hep to That Jive?"), composer, singer, actor and author, educated at Crane College. While studying law, he sang with the band The Alabamians, and took over the group in 1928. He led The Missourians orchestra, then organized and led his own orchestra, playing at hotels, theaters and nightclubs throughout the US, and making many records. He joined the cast of the touring company of "Porgy and Bess", which performed across the USA and Europe between 1952 and 1954. When that ended, he founded a quartet. Joining ASCAP in 1942, he collaborated musically with Jack Palmer, Buck Ram, Andy Gibson, Clarence Gaskill, Irving Mills and Paul Mills. His other popular song compositions include "Lady With the Fan", "Zaz Zuh Zaz", "Chinese Rhythm", "Are You In Love With Me Again?", "That Man's Here Again", "Peck-A-Doodle-Doo", "I Like Music", "Rustle of Swing", "Three Swings and Out", "The Jumpin' Jive", "Boog It", "Come on with the Come-on", "Silly Old Moon", "Sunset", "Rhapsody in Rhumba", "Are You All Reet?", "Hi-De-Ho Man", "Levee Lullaby", "Let's Go, Joe", "Geechy Joe", and "Hot Air".
The artist records "Minnie the Moocher". The record was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. [3 March 1931] Scored two notable Broadway successes: In Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" (1952), opposite Leontyne Price and William Warfield, and "Hello, Dolly!" (1967), opposite Pearl Bailey and daughter Chris Calloway. Father of singer/actress Chris Calloway. Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1987. Former bandleader of the famous Harlem Cotton Club in the 30s Cab Calloway School of the Arts opened in 1992 in Wilmington Delaware, was named after him. He was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 1993 by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington D.C. Was the inspiration for the character of Oogie Boogie in Tim Burton's _The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)_