At the age of 17, Rawls joined a medicine show.  A jack-of-all-trades, he performed as a contortionist, ventriloquist, fire-eater, and legitimate actor during his years on the stage.  He also developed a number of comedy routines, playing under the banner Rawls and Braton Comedy Company.  As a blackface comedian, he is credited as being the man who aided Eddie Cantor develop his blackface makeup during Cantor's early days in show business.
     On February 11, 1904 in Camilla, Georgia he married the former Ella Von Kaufman of Deadwood, S.D., a soprano singer with his vaudeville act.  In 1905, they made there first trip to Muskegon, and purchased a home in the Actor's Colony in 1912. Although still engaged in vaudeville, they returned every summer, and ultimately retired to here.  During their years in Muskegon, "Mush" served as secretary and treasurer of the Muskegon Actors' Colony Club.
     Mush made his last public appearance on the "This is Your Life" episode honoring Buster Keaton.  As a guest of the show, Rawls recalled Buster Keaton's youth when the show honored the silent comedian on April 3, 1957.
     A few months later, Rawls passed away.  He was survived by a sister-in-law, nine nieces and a nephew living in West Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.