Harney and Johnny Biller in 1895, the co-composer of "You've Been a Good Old Wagon."
[from "They All Played Ragtime."]

March 7, 1896: "Variety and Minstrelsy" "Ben R. Harney, who was booked last week to finish a tour of the Keith circuit with a week at the Bijou, Philadelphia, Pa., was called home to Louisville, Ky., Feb. 24, by the serious illness of his mother." (The New York Clipper)

   "Tony Pastor's Theatre ­ Although the standing room, which is usually fully consumed, was not in demand on Monday, April 20, there was, nevertheless, a good house in attendance to witness one of the best vaudeville offerings this enterprising manager has provided this season... [T]he Brilliant Quartet, comprising C.O. Marsh, Jas. Marion, John H. Rapp and Frank Mitchell, were highly successful in their burlesque on 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.' John E. Drew, dancing expert; the Valdares, bicyclists of much skill; Ben R. Harney, song and dance creations, and the Patterson Brothers, horizontal bar adepts, all gained prominence by their work." (The New York Clipper)

   June 6, 1896: "Tony Pastor's Theatre - Attracted by a bill of considerable excellence, and encouraged by splendid theatregoing weather, a packed house resulted from the rush to this resort Monday, June 1... Ben R. Harney made one of the hits of the bill with his novel piano playing, singing and dancing specialty." (The New York Clipper)

Later that year Harney joined the Boston Athenaeum Star Specialty Company, touring under the aegis of Andrew J. Hughes, proprietor of Boston's Howard Athenaeum Theater.

   September 26, 1896: "Miner's Bowery Theatre ­ The Boston Athenaeum Star Specialty Co., the reputation of which title has been fully sustained... The show was opened by Kaye and Henry, in their well known comedy sketch. Grovini and Murray, female acrobatic dancers... Sam and Kittie Morton, character dancers and singers... Eddie O'Dell, acrobatic tramp... Collins and Collins in character songs, warbling and dances... Morton and Mack, as the piper and dancer, stirred up the lovers of Hibernian pastimes... Ben R. Harney, termed the 'rag time' pianist, kept up an artistically executed jingling accompaniment to his song imitations, illustrating the various ways a popular song can be rendered. His coon songs gained enthusiastic response. He was assisted in the gallery and on the stage by 'Strap' Hill, a colored dancer and singer. The show was closed by the Big Four... in 'Barnyard Frolics,' introducing many laughable incidents." (The New York Clipper)

   Based on the recollections of Harney's wife Jessie, the authors of They All Played Ragtime identified his "stage assistant," "Strap" Hill as a "young Negro ragtime player and entertainer ... from Memphis" whom Harney first met either in or on his way to Chicago in 1893.3 Clipper citations make it clear that Harney and Hill worked together, on and off at least, from the fall of 1896 until the fall of 1898 ...

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