Lucille Hegamin

about

Lucille Nelson Hegamin (November 29, 1894 – March 1, 1970) was a American singer and entertainer, and a pioneer African American blues recording artist notable for being one of the first of such to record. Hegamin was born as Lucille Nelson in Macon, Georgia. From an early age she sang in local church choirs. By the age of 15 she was touring the US South with the Leonard Harper Minstrel Stock Company. In 1914 she settled in Chicago, Illinois, where, often billed as "The Georgia Peach", she worked with Tony Jackson and Jelly Roll Morton before marrying pianist Bill Hegamin. She later told a biographer: "I was a cabaret artist in those days, and never had to play theatres, and I sang everything from blues to popular songs, in a jazz style. I think I can say without bragging that I made the "St. Louis Blues" popular in Chicago; this was one of my feature numbers." The Hegamins moved to Los Angeles, California in 1918, then to New York City the following year. Bill Hegamin led his wife's accompanying band, called the Blue Flame Syncopators; Jimmy Wade was a member of this ensemble. In November 1920 Lucille Hegamin became only the second African American blues singer to record, after Mamie Smith. Hegamin made a series of recordings for the Arto record label through 1922, then a few sides for Black Swan, Lincoln, Paramount and Columbia. From 1922 through late 1926 she recorded for Cameo Records; from this association she was billed as "The Cameo Girl". Like Mamie Smith, Hegamin

top songs

albums

Lucille Hegamin Vol. 2 (1922-1923)

Lucille Hegamin Vol. 1 (1920-1922)

Songs We Taught Your Mother

Lucille Hegamin Vol. 3 (1923-1932)

Lucille Hegamin Vol. 4 (1920-1926)

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the ladies in blues

CD1 - Women In Blues 1920-1943

Lucille Hegamin, Vol.1 (1920-1922)

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Lucille Hegamin, Vol.2 (1922-1923)

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Sultry Divas

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Burlesque Jazz

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Complete Recorded Works, Volume 1 (1920-1922)

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