Blanche Calloway

about

Blanche Calloway (February 9, 1902 - December 16, 1978) was an African-American jazz singer, bandleader, and composer. She was the older sister of Cab Calloway, she was scattin' before he was. Dropping out of Maryland's then controversial all negro Morgan State College in 1923 for a life in show business, Calloway was the first woman to lead an all-male orchestra. With a music career that spanned over fifty years, she recorded in the 20's for Okeh and Vocalion, including a 1925 session with Louis Armstrong. In 1931, she was invited to tour with Andy Kirk and joined Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds of Joy. She was a popular & brash live performer, who often ended up upstaging the bandleader, eventually leaving with his disgruntled trumpet player Edgar "Puddin Head" Battle to start her own outfit. Determined to go out on her own, Blanche Calloway and her Joy Boys became a top rated touring act, recording for RCA-Victor until they disbanded in 1938. They were also known as "Blanche Calloway and Her Orchestra". Blanche's mother was a church organist, and Blanche had sung in the local church choir, and studied the piano and voice. She originally left the same college her mother had attended to perform in local Baltimore area revues & musicals, and her first real break came when she joined the touring revue for a Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake musical called "Shuffle Along" and by 1927 was a popular performer in the Chicago nightclubs. Although no footage is known to exist, she heav

top songs

albums

Complete Jazz Series 1925 - 1935

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All Jazz Seasons

Blanche Calloway (Doxy Collection)

Classic Blanche

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Sugar Blues

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Grimriper2u@yahoo.com

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Loveless Love

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Adam and Eve Had the Blues (Louis and The Blues Singers, Vol. 2 - 1925 - 1926)

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1925 - 1935

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Blanche Calloway 1925-1935

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Blanche Calloway, The first woman to lead an all male orchestra

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A Woman's Place Is in the Groove

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