Esther Bigeou facts for kids

Esther Bigeou (born around 1892 – died November 15, 1936) was an American singer. She performed in vaudeville shows and sang the blues. People called her "The Girl with the Million Dollar Smile." She was one of the popular "classic female blues" singers in the 1920s.

About Esther Bigeou

Esther Bigeou was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, around 1892. Many people in her family were musicians. For example, the famous drummer Paul Barbarin was her cousin.

In 1913, Esther started touring in vaudeville shows. She toured with a performer and writer named Irvin C. Miller. They later got married. In 1917, Esther sang and danced in a show called Broadway Rastus. Irvin Miller wrote this show. It played in big theaters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York City, and Baltimore, Maryland.

Esther Bigeou recorded songs for OKeh Records in 1921 and 1923. She also toured with the Billy King Company in 1923. From 1923 to 1925, and again from 1927 to 1930, she toured by herself. She performed all over the American South, Midwest, and Northeast.

Her Music and Legacy

A writer named Chris Smith said that Esther Bigeou sang popular African-American entertainment songs. She seems to have stopped performing around age 35. She settled back in New Orleans. Reports say she passed away there around 1936.

All of her recorded songs were put on a CD in 1996. The CD was called Esther Bigeou: Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order (1921–1923).

Her Recorded Songs

Esther Bigeou recorded these songs in New York City for Okeh Records:

October–November 1921

• "The Memphis Blues"
• "The St. Louis Blues"
• "Stingaree Blues (A Down Home Blues)"
• "Nervous Blues"
• "If That's What You Want Here It Is"

March 1923

• "Agrravatin' Papa (Don't You Try To Two-Time Me)"
• "Four O'Clock Blues"
• "I'm Through With You (As I Can Be)"
• "Beale Street Mama"
• "Outside Of That, He's All Right With Me"
• "The Gulf Coast Blues"
• "Beale Street Blues"
• "The Hesitating Blues"

December 1923

• "That Twa-Twa Tune"
• "Panama Limited Blues"
• "You Ain't Treatin' Me Right"
• "West Indies Blues"