The Resume

(June 23, 1913-September 9, 1981)
Born in Louisville, Kentucky
Jazz and blues singer
Performed with the big bands of Harry James (1937-38) and Count Basie (1938-41)
Recorded the singles 'Be-Baba-Leba' (1945), 'Rock Me To Sleep' (1950) and 'Million Dollar Secret' (1950)

Why she might be annoying:

She was fired from Basie's band at the insistence of his wife, who had found out about her and Basie's affair.
She had a squeally, little girl voice, so on 'Million Dollar Secret,' recorded when she was 37, she could convincingly chirp, 'I've got a man whose 78 and I'm just 13.'
She returned home to Louisville in 1967 and retired from music, claiming that for the next several years she did not sing a note, 'never even hummed.'

Why she might not be annoying:

She began recording at age 13.
She was successful with both jazz ballads and R&B shouters.
She made a comeback at the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival and kept performing until shortly before her death.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Blues Musicians
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 41]
• I Died in 1981 (Ranked: 68)
• I Performed at 'From Spirituals to Swing'
• I Retired, Just Kidding
• I'm Buried at Inglewood Memorial Park [Calif]
• Jazz Artists
• Look at My Album Cover
• Profiles 32501-32750 (Ranked: 32563)
• Women With Baby Voices

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 17 Votes: 88.24% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying