Author: Rolfyboy6 (---.sonic.net)
Date: 06-23-03 23:11
As the Blueslady observes Helen Humes was a giant between 1930 and 1970. Including years in Australia. Yet she is little remembered these days. She was one of several great singers of the Count Basie Orchestra, as well as fine work with others too.
AMG:
Helen Humes was a versatile singer equally skilled on blues, swing standards and ballads. Her cheerful style was always a joy to hear. As a child she played piano and organ in church and made her first recordings (ten blues in 1927) when she was only 13 and 14. In the 1930s she worked with Stuff Smith and Al Sears, recording with Harry James in 1937-38. In 1938 Humes joined Count Basie's Orchestra for three years. Since Jimmy Rushing specialized in blues, Helen Humes mostly got stuck singing pop ballads but she did a fine job. After freelancing in New York (1941-43) and touring with Clarence Love (1943-44), Humes moved to Los Angeles. She began to record as a leader and had a hit in "Be-ba-ba-le-ba"; her 1950 original "Million Dollar Secret" is a classic. Humes sometimes performed with Jazz at the Philharmonic but was mostly a single in the 1950s. She recorded three superb albums for Contemporary during 1959-61 and had tours with Red Norvo. She moved to Australia in 1964, returning to the U.S. in 1967 to take care of her ailing mother. Humes was out of the music business for several years but made a full comeback in 1973 and stayed busy up until her death. Throughout her career Helen Humes recorded for such labels as Savoy, Aladdin, Mercury, Decca, Dootone, Contemporary, Classic Jazz, Black & Blue, Black Lion, Jazzology, Columbia and Muse. ~ Scott Yanow
Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Kentucky Women in Music: Helen Humes http://www.womeninkentucky.com/site/music/humes.html
Verve Records: Helen Humes http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/verve/artist.asp?aid=4882
Blues Lyrics On Line: Helen Humes http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/2541/blhhumes.htm
Fantasy Records: 4 Helen Humes CDs http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/humes_h_cat.html
How'mi'doin' Deb?
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