Katie Crippen facts for kids
Catherine "Katie" Crippen (born November 17, 1895 – died November 25, 1929) was an American singer and performer. She was also known as Little Katie Crippen or Ella White. Katie was famous for her blues music in the early 1900s.
Katie Crippen's Musical Journey
Katie Crippen was born in Philadelphia. She came from an African-American family. Around 1920, she started performing in New York City at a place called Edmond's Cellar.
In 1921, Katie recorded several songs for Black Swan Records. She sang in the classic female blues style. Her recordings were often with Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra. She even used the name Ella White for one recording.
Katie toured in 1922 and 1923. She was the main star of a show called "Liza and Her Shuffling Sextet." A famous musician named Fats Waller was also in this show. Later, Katie started her own show called "Katie Crippen and Her Kids." A young Count Basie played music with her in this group. Her husband, Lou Henry, who was also a musician, managed her career.
In the late 1920s, Katie performed in shows at the Lafayette Theater in New York City. She also toured with Dewey Brown as "Crippen & Brown." They performed on the RKO theater circuit.
Later Life and Legacy
Katie Crippen passed away in New York City on November 25, 1929. She died after a long illness. She is buried in Merion Memorial Park. This park is in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia.
You can still hear Katie Crippen's music today. All of her recordings have been put together on a CD. The CD is called Fletcher Henderson and the Blues Singers: Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 1 (1921–1923).
