Wednesday 16 October 2013

Nellie Lutcher born 15 October 1915


Nellie Lutcher (October 15, 1912 - June 8, 2007) was an African-American R&B and jazz singer and pianist, who achieved prominence in the late 1940s and early 1950s. She was most recognizable for her distinctive voice, particularly her phrasing and exaggerated pronunciation, and was credited as an influence by Nina Simone among others.

She was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the eldest daughter of the 15 children of Isaac and Suzie Lutcher. Her father was a bass player, and her mother a church organist. She received piano lessons, and her father formed a family band with Nellie playing piano. At age 12 she played with Ma Rainey, when Rainey's regular pianist fell ill and had to be left behind in the previous town. Searching for a temporary replacement in Lake Charles, one of the neighbours told her there was a little girl who played in church who might be able to do it.


Aged 14, Lutcher joined her father in Clarence Hart's Imperial Jazz Band, and in her mid-teens also briefly married the band's trumpet player. In 1933, she joined the Southern Rhythm Boys, writing their arrangements and touring widely. In 1935 she moved to Los Angeles, where she married Leonel Lewis and had a son. She began to play swing piano, and also to sing, in small combos throughout the area, and began developing her own style, influenced by Earl Hines, Duke Ellington and her friend Nat "King" Cole.

She was not widely known until 1947 when she learned of the March of Dimes talent show at Hollywood High School, and performed. The show was broadcast on radio and her performance caught the ear of Dave Dexter, a scout for Capitol Records. She was signed by Capitol and made several records, including "The One I Love Belongs To Someone Else" and her first hit single, the risqué "Hurry On Down", which went to # 2 on the rhythm and blues chart. This was followed by her equally successful composition "He's A Real Gone Guy", which also made # 2 on the R&B chart and crossed over to the pop charts where it reached # 15.


                             

 In 1948 she had a string of further R&B chart hits, the most successful being "Fine Brown Frame", her third # 2 R&B hit. Her songs charted on the pop, jazz, and R&B charts, she toured widely and became widely known. She wrote many of her own songs and, unlike many other African-American artists of the period, retained the valuable publishing rights to them.


In 1950, Lutcher duetted with Nat "King" Cole on "For You My Love" and "Can I Come in for a Second". The same year, her records began to be released in the UK and were actively promoted by radio DJ Jack Jackson. She headlined a UK variety tour, compered by Jackson, with great success, later returning there to tour on her own.

With an orchestra for the first time, Lutcher recorded "The Birth of the Blues" and "I Want to Be Near You" in 1951, but she was losing her appeal with the record-buying public and Capitol dropped her the following year. She went on to record, much less successfully, for other labels including Okeh, Decca and Liberty, and gradually wound down her performance schedule.

Unfortunately her popularity with the record buying public lasted only for 4 years (during which she recorded duets with Nat Cole among others) and her entire recording career a mere 10. In 1957 she retired from both recording and only rarely performed pursuing a career in real estate instead and serving as a director for the Musician’s Union.

  She died of pneumonia at age 95 on June 8th 2007 in Los Angeles.

She was the sister of saxophonist Joe "Woodman" Lutcher and aunt of Latin jazz percussionist Daryl "Munyungo" Jackson. (info mainly Wikipedia)



5 comments:

boppinbob said...

Phew that was hard work. Took me ages going in and out of HTML edit. Must be an easier way surely!

Colonel Dan said...

Hello!
Just Another Tip Of The Hat To A Great Post & A Wonderful Site!
Keep Up The Great Work!
All The Best,
Colonel Dan

D said...

Hey BB, ever find the 4 cd box set?
Nellie Lutcher And Her Rhythm

still looking for it
- D

boppinbob said...

Hello Denis, I managed to find this 192 rip (although I suspect it may be less) from many moons ago. No art work was included. I could only find front box cover. Also I can’t remember the original uploader. Hopefully this will suffice until you get a better bit rate.

For “Nellie Lutcher And Her Rhythm (1996 Bear Family x4CD)” go here:

https://workupload.com/file/yB58WWhK9PP

CD 1
1 The One I Love
2 Hurry On Down
3 The Lady's In Love With You
4 You Better Watch Yourself, Bub
5 Sleepy Lagoon
6 My Mother's Eyes
7 He's A Real Gone Guy
8 Let Me Love You Tonight
9 Pig Latin Song
10 Do You Or Don't You Love Me
11 Chi-Chi-Chi-Chicago
12 Loveable
13 Fine And Mellow Blues
14 There's Another Mule In Your Stall
15 I Thought About You
16 Kinda Blue And Low
17 Reaching For The Moon
18 The Song Is Ended
19 So Nice To See You Baby
20 Lake Charles Boogie
21 Fine Brown Frame
22 Humoresque
23 Imagine You Having Eyes For Me
24 Alexander's Ragtime Band
CD 2
25 Without A Song
26 Wish I Was In Walla Walla
27 Life Is Like That
28 A Maid's Prayer
29 Ditto From Me To You
30 My Man (Mon Homme)
31 I Used To Be Dull
32 The Dog Fight Song
33 Lutcher's Leap
34 Say A Little Prayer For Me
35 Cool Water
36 A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird
37 Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Papaya
38 He Sends Me
39 My Little Boy
40 My New Papa's Got To Have Everything
41 Come And Get It, Honey
42 Little Sally Walker
43 To Be Forgotten
44 Darktown Strutter's Ball
45 That Will Just About Knock Me Out
46 Glad Rag Doll
47 April In Paris
48 Only You
49 Kiss Me Sweet
50 Baby, Please Stop And Think About Me
CD 3
51 That's A Plenty
52 Baby, What's Your Alibi
53 I'll Never Get Tired
54 For You My Love
55 Can I Come In For A Second
56 Pa's Not Home - Ma's Upstairs
57 I Really Couldn't Love You
58 (I Need) Body And Fender Work
59 He Couldn't Care Less
60 If You Wanna Get T'Goin' (And Come Out Singing)
61 Mean To Me
62 I Want To Be Near You
63 The Birth Of The Blues
64 Let The Worry Bird Worry For You
65 What A Diff'rence A Day Made
66 That's How It Goes
67 The Heart Of A Clown
68 Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
69 When They Ask About You
70 How Many More
71 Muchly Verily
72 Whee Baby
73 Takin' A Chance On Love
74 St. Louis Blues
75 Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home
CD 4
76 Out Of This World
77 It's Been Said
78 Blues In The Night
79 Breezin' Along With The Breeze
80 It's Been Said
81 Whose Honey Are You?
82 Please Come Back
83 If I Didn't Love You Like I Do
84 Blue Skies
85 Three Little Words
86 You Made Me Love You
87 This Can't Be Love
88 The Nearness Of You
89 It Had To Be You
90 On The Sunny Side Of The Street
91 Someone To Watch Over Me
92 All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings
93 Rose Coloured Glasses
94 Ole Buttermilk Sky
95 Have You Ever Been Lonely
96 Hurry On Down
97 Let Me Tell You 'Bout The Guy
98 If Your Face Was As Beautiful As Your Soul
99 He's A Real Gone Guy
100 There's A Reason
101 I'll Never Get Tired
102 Heart Of A Clown
103 Reaching For The Moon
104 Let Me Tell You 'Bout The Guy (Overdub)
105 If Your Face Was As Beautiful As Your Soul (Overdub)

How'd you like to own Nellie Lutcher's complete recordings! That's right... this 4-CD, 105-track box from Bear Family contains everything this swingin' pianist and singer ever did, including sides cut for Capitol (where she had her hits), Okeh, Epic, Decca, Liberty, Imperial and Melic,

D said...

Oh man, thanks for sharing this BB. I looked all over for it. When you first posted I noticed you had disc 1. I never thought you had the box set, but I thought I would give it a try. Sure glad I did, and the sound is perfect. Thanks and hope you have a great weekend mate.