Charles Luckyth Roberts (August 7,1887 – February 5, 1968), also known as Luckey Roberts was an American composer and pianist. He worked in jazz, blues and ragtime styles. Luckey Roberts was a Philadelphia native who was already playing the piano and performing professionally in traveling Negro minstrel shows when he was a child. Around 1910, he settled in New York City and became a leading Harlem pianist. He also started publishing his original rags. Roberts traveled with James Reese Europe in France and the UK during World War I. He returned to New York and composed music for different shows and recorded piano rolls. Roberts and James P. Johnson developed the stride style of playing piano around 1919. Roberts’ reach at the keyboard was extraordinary (he could reach 14th). This led to the rumor that Roberts had his webbing surgically removed. However, those who saw Roberts play live demolished the rumor. Roberts had large hands and a wide spread finger. Roberts co-wrote three Broadway musicals in the 1920s with Alex C. Rogers. The first, Sharlee (1923), was written by Roberts. The second, My Magnolia (1926), starred Adelaide Hall (a major black revue star). Luckey Roberts’ most notable compositions are “Junk Man Rag”, “Moonlight Cocktail”, “Pork and Beans”, and “Railroad Blues”. The Glenn Miller Orchestra recorded “Moonlight Cocktail”, which was the most popular record in America for ten weeks in 1942. Roberts was a smart businessman and became a millionaire twice by his real estate deals. Roberts died in New York City. From Wikipedia
