Truckin' On Down introduced at Harlem Opera House by Henry Rubberlegs Williams Williams, Henry "Rubberlegs" performer Choreography 1935-05-03 The first revival of the dance Truckin' was done on May 3, 1935 at the Harlem Opera House by tap dancer and eccentric dancer Henry Rubberlegs Williams, according to his claim. That's where he claims to have revived and popularized it and made it the talk of Harlem. The title was given it by Red and Struggle, and they named it Truck On Down two years earlier in Philadelphia. The dance originally came from a man by the name of Buzz Barton. It was called the Buzz. Miss Cora LaRedd says she originated the dance and The Cotton Club is where it originated. The first song, "Truck On Down" was written by Noble Sissle and Harry Brooks. "Therefore, by my being the first to popularize this dance five months ago, I claim myself as the original reviver of the dance and named it Truck On Down. I am now at The Cotton Club doing my dance to the tune of Ted Cola's Truck." Chicago Defender, 14 September 1935, p. 8 Performing Arts Encyclopedia http://www.loc.gov/performingarts Tap Dance America http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/tda/tda-home.html tda IHAS 151216 loc.music.tda.2349