Lavinia Turner facts for kids

Lavinia Turner (born around 1888 – died after 1937) was an American singer. She was known for singing a style of music called classic female blues.

Lavinia started her career singing in vaudeville shows. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with different acts like singing, dancing, and comedy. She recorded 10 songs in 1921 and 1922. This made her one of the very first women to record blues music. We don't know much about her life outside of her music career.

Early Life and Career

Lavinia Turner was born in Virginia around 1888. Her parents were also from Virginia. By 1920, she was living in New York City and working as a performer.

Making Music History

Lavinia made her first recordings in March 1921. These songs were "How Many Times?" and "Can't Get Lovin' Blues." A piano player, possibly Willie Gant, played along with her. Another musician, Clarence Williams, might have played piano on two other songs she recorded. Gus Aiken also played the trumpet on some of her recording sessions in 1921.

Lavinia Turner was one of the first Black women to record blues songs. These recordings were made in New York. Other blues singers like Lillyn Brown, Lucille Hegamin, and Daisy Martin also made records in 1921.

Her Recorded Songs

Six of Lavinia's songs were recorded with piano music by James P. Johnson. These included "When the Rain Turns into Snow (Who's Gonna Keep You Warm)" and "Who'll Drive Your Blues Away." Her music was released on record labels like Pathé Actuelle Records and Perfect Records. At least two of her songs were also released by Okeh Records.

Two of the songs Lavinia recorded, "Watch Me Go" and "He Took It Away from Me," were written by Roy Turk and J. Russel Robinson.

Later Life

Lavinia Turner's short recording career ended in October 1922. In 1930, she was living in New York as a widow. She might be the same person who applied for Social Security benefits in 1937.

Her music can still be found today on different compilation albums. One album, Female Blues 1921–1928, includes her songs "When the Rain Turns into Snow (Who's Gonna Keep You Warm)" and "Who'll Drive Your Blues Away." In 1994, Document Records released a collection of all her known recorded songs.

See also

• List of classic female blues singers