While you may be more acquainted with the names of top male jazz vocalists, the female singers were amazingly talented and equally influential. If you thought there has never been a place for women in the realm of jazz, you could not be more wrong. Although there is no denying the fact that female singers got overshadowed by more popular male counterparts, it would be wrong to assume that women have never been pivotal in the evolution of jazz. In this write-up, we shall discuss the life and career of Helen Humes. With versatile vocal and light timbered phrasing, the singer played an important role in molding the character of vocal swing. In this connection, it is worth mentioning that Swing Street Radio has a precious collection of swing and big band music in the USA. Should you want to hear the wonderous vocal of the artist, feel free to tune into the radio station.
Early Life and Musical Exploration
Born in the year 1913, Helen Humes inculcated the penchant for music from her close-knit family. She developed a passion for piano and trumpet playing from a young age. During her childhood, she would often feature in the local school band that was studded with singing stars like Jonah Jones and Dicky Wells. The future singer gave her first amateur performance in a talent content where she sang "I'm in Love with You, That's Why" and "When You're a Long, Long Way from Home". Her obvious talent was noticed and immediately tapped by Sylvester Weaver, a noted guitarist of the age. It was under his recommendation that Tommy Rockwell decided to give Humes her first singing break. She made a moderate beginning by recording an album of blues songs but soon faded into the background.
Association with Cincinnati Cotton Club
While living in Louisville, Helen Humes received an opportunity to sing for the Al Sear’s band at Cincinnati Cotton Club. It was at this venue that Count Basie heard and decided to engage Humes as the female vocalist in his band. Having joined the orchestra in 1938, Humes collaborated with the touring band for over three years. Amid her career developments, the singer recorded swing music with Harry Jame’s orchestra. You can enjoy Humes’ swing hits like "I Can Dream, Can't I?”, "It's the Dreamer In Me, and "Jubilee" only on the jazz music radio. During her time with the Count Basie Band, Helen contributed her amazing vocals in "Moonlight Serenade" and "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” thereby gaining various accolades for outstanding performances. The biggest break in Helen’s career came was her performance along with John Hammond at Spirituals to Swing Concert in the Carnegie Hall.
Solo Career
During the early 1940s, Humes gave frequent singing performances at the Cafe Society in New York. After moving to Los Angeles, she spent considerable time in recording solo work. "Million Dollar Secret" and "Be-Baba-Leba" are two of the most popular recordings in Humes’ career. Between the 1940s and 1950s, she worked with Nat King Cole, a pioneer in jazz music in the USA. In 1950, Helen recorded “Rock Me to Sleep” in which she attempted to blur the differences between rhythm blues and swing jazz. Despite remaining professionally inactive for a few years, Helen made a successful comeback by her Australia tour with Red Norvo. The singer rekindled her fading popularity by performing at the Newport Jazz Festival and Monterey Jazz Festival in the late 1950s. She recorded “Helen”, final album for the Muse Records in the year 1980.
Conclusion - Helen Humes was a personality who focused on being a singer and not a star. She improvised and mixed the genres of blues, big band, and jazz swing with her versatility. To listen to greatest jazz hits, do tune into Swing Street Radio for its rich collection of big band and swing music.
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