The song pluggers began to come after me to sing their numbers. I'll never forget one of them. His name was Ben Black and he came to my dressing room when we were playing the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Ben Black told Earl he was crazy about the way I sang "My Man," also "She's Funny That Way," which I did "He's Funny That Way," as a reverse switch. Ben wanted me to try "Eïli, Eïli [Oh, God! Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?]" during my act. He said that another Negro performer, George Dewey Washington, who was then with Paul Ash's Band, was getting wonderful results with it. I heard Washington sing it in his deep and beautiful baritone, and it was something indeed to listen to.