Lovie Austin
Encyclopedia
Lovie Austin was an American
Chicago
bandleader
, session musician, composer
, and arranger during the 1920s classic blues
era. She and Lil Hardin Armstrong
are often ranked as two of the best female jazz blues piano players of the period. Mary Lou Williams
cited Austin as her greatest influence.
, she studied music theory at Roger Williams University and Knoxville College in Nashville, Tennessee
. In 1923, Lovie Austin decided to make Chicago
her home, and she lived and worked there for the rest of her life. A fancy dresser and a well-liked person, she was often seen racing around town in her Stutz Bearcat
with leopard skin upholstery, dressed to the teeth. Her early career was in vaudeville
where she played piano
and performed in variety acts. Accompanying blues singers was Lovie's specialty, and can be heard on recordings by Ma Rainey
("Moonshine Blues), Ida Cox
("Wild Women Don't Have the Blues"), Ethel Waters
("Craving Blues"), and Alberta Hunter
("Sad 'n' Lonely Blues"). She led her own band, the Blues Serenaders, which usually included trumpeters Tommy Ladnier
, Bob Shoffner, Natty Dominique
, or Shirley Clay on cornet, Kid Ory
or Albert Wynn on trombone, and Jimmy O'Bryant
or Johnny Dodds
on clarinet, along with banjo and occasional drums. Austin worked with many other top jazz musicians of the 1920s, including Louis Armstrong
. Austin's skills as songwriter can be heard in the classic "Down Hearted Blues
," a tune she co-wrote with Alberta Hunter. Singer Bessie Smith
turned the song into a hit in 1923. Austin was also a session musician for Paramount Records
.
When the classic blues craze began to wither in the early 1930s, Austin settled into the position of musical director for the Monogram Theater, at 3453 South State Street in Chicago where all the T.O.B.A. acts played. She worked there for 20 years. After World War II
she became a pianist at Jimmy Payne's Dancing School at Penthouse Studios, and performed and recorded occasionally.
In 1961 she recorded Alberta Hunter with Lovie Austin's Blues Serenaders, as part of Riverside
's Living Legends series. Austin's songs included "Sweet Georgia Brown," "C-Jam Blues," and "Gallon Stomp."
Austin died on July 10, 1972 in Chicago
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
, session musician, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and arranger during the 1920s classic blues
Classic female blues
Classic female blues was an early form of blues music, popular in the 1920s. An amalgam of traditional folk blues and urban theater music, the style is also known as vaudeville blues. Classic blues were performed by female vocalists accompanied by pianists or small jazz ensembles, and were the...
era. She and Lil Hardin Armstrong
Lil Hardin Armstrong
Lil Hardin Armstrong was a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, singer, and bandleader, and the second wife of Louis Armstrong with whom she collaborated on many recordings in the 1920s....
are often ranked as two of the best female jazz blues piano players of the period. Mary Lou Williams
Mary Lou Williams
Mary Lou Williams was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Williams wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements, and recorded more than one hundred records...
cited Austin as her greatest influence.
Life and career
Born Cora Calhoun in Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, she studied music theory at Roger Williams University and Knoxville College in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. In 1923, Lovie Austin decided to make Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
her home, and she lived and worked there for the rest of her life. A fancy dresser and a well-liked person, she was often seen racing around town in her Stutz Bearcat
Stutz Bearcat
The Stutz Bearcat was a well-known American sports car of the pre and post World War One period.Essentially, the Bearcats were a shorter , lighter version of the standard Stutz passenger cars chassis. It was originally powered by a 390 in³, 60 horsepower straight-4 engine produced by the...
with leopard skin upholstery, dressed to the teeth. Her early career was in vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
where she played piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and performed in variety acts. Accompanying blues singers was Lovie's specialty, and can be heard on recordings by Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey was one of the earliest known American professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. She was billed as The Mother of the Blues....
("Moonshine Blues), Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Ida Cox was an African American singer and vaudeville performer, best known for her blues performances and recordings...
("Wild Women Don't Have the Blues"), Ethel Waters
Ethel Waters
Ethel Waters was an American blues, jazz and gospel vocalist and actress. She frequently performed jazz, big band, and pop music, on the Broadway stage and in concerts, although she began her career in the 1920s singing blues.Her best-known recordings includes, "Dinah", "Birmingham Bertha",...
("Craving Blues"), and Alberta Hunter
Alberta Hunter
Alberta Hunter was an American blues singer, songwriter, and nurse. Her career had started back in the early 1920s, and from there on, she became a successful jazz and blues recording artist, being critically acclaimed to the ranks of Ethel Waters and Bessie Smith...
("Sad 'n' Lonely Blues"). She led her own band, the Blues Serenaders, which usually included trumpeters Tommy Ladnier
Tommy Ladnier
Thomas J. "Tommy" Ladnier was an American jazz trumpeter. Clarinetist/writer Mezz Mezzrow rated him second only to Louis Armstrong....
, Bob Shoffner, Natty Dominique
Natty Dominique
Anatie "Natty" Dominique was a jazz trumpeter born in New Orleans, Louisiana most notable for his long body of work with Johnny Dodds.-Biography:...
, or Shirley Clay on cornet, Kid Ory
Kid Ory
Edward "Kid" Ory was a jazz trombonist and bandleader. He was born in Woodland Plantation near LaPlace, Louisiana.-Biography:...
or Albert Wynn on trombone, and Jimmy O'Bryant
Jimmy O'Bryant
Jimmy O'Bryant was an American jazz clarinetist, often compared to Johnny Dodds....
or Johnny Dodds
Johnny Dodds
Johnny Dodds was an American New Orleans based jazz clarinetist and alto saxophonist, best known for his recordings under his own name and with bands such as those of Joe "King" Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Lovie Austin and Louis Armstrong. Dodds was also the older brother of drummer Warren "Baby"...
on clarinet, along with banjo and occasional drums. Austin worked with many other top jazz musicians of the 1920s, including Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
. Austin's skills as songwriter can be heard in the classic "Down Hearted Blues
Downhearted Blues
"Downhearted Blues" is a blues song composed by Alberta Hunter and Lovie Austin. The first line immediately sets the theme for the song: "Gee but it's hard to love someone when that someone don't love you"....
," a tune she co-wrote with Alberta Hunter. Singer Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith was an American blues singer.Sometimes referred to as The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s...
turned the song into a hit in 1923. Austin was also a session musician for Paramount Records
Paramount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
.
When the classic blues craze began to wither in the early 1930s, Austin settled into the position of musical director for the Monogram Theater, at 3453 South State Street in Chicago where all the T.O.B.A. acts played. She worked there for 20 years. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she became a pianist at Jimmy Payne's Dancing School at Penthouse Studios, and performed and recorded occasionally.
In 1961 she recorded Alberta Hunter with Lovie Austin's Blues Serenaders, as part of Riverside
Riverside Records
Riverside Records was a United States record label specializing in jazz. Founded by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer under his firm Bill Grauer Productions, Inc. in 1953, the label was a major presence in the jazz record industry for a decade...
's Living Legends series. Austin's songs included "Sweet Georgia Brown," "C-Jam Blues," and "Gallon Stomp."
Austin died on July 10, 1972 in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Discography
| Year | Title | Genre | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 1924-1926 | Jazz blues | Classic |
| 1961 | Alberta Hunter with Lovie Austin's Blues Serenaders | Jazz | Allegro Corporation |