Lillian Goodner facts for kids

Lillian Goodner (born Lillian Paige; 1896–1994) was an American blues singer. She was famous for her "classic female blues" style, which was very popular in the 1920s. People knew her by her stage name, "Sister Lillian: Queen of the Sepias."

Early Life and Career

Lillian Goodner was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She showed her talent for singing at a young age. Before becoming a professional singer, she won many amateur singing contests.

She started her professional career by touring the country with her childhood friend, Mae Crowder. Their act was called the Creole Sisters. In 1921, Lillian was part of a musical show called Put and Take. This show started in New York and then toured to other cities.

Recording Music

Between 1923 and 1924, Lillian Goodner recorded six songs for Ajax Records in New York City. These recordings helped show her strong personality. For example, in her song "Four Flushing Papa," she sang about being a strong woman who wouldn't let anyone treat her badly.

Touring and Later Years

During the 1920s, Lillian Goodner traveled a lot. She toured big cities in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. In the early 1930s, she even performed with the famous musician Duke Ellington and his band.

After she married William Penn, Lillian settled in Minneapolis. She continued to perform in nightclubs across the American Midwest. During World War II, she entertained soldiers in U.S.O. shows in cities like Detroit and Oakland, California. In 1942, she performed with Glenn Miller at Maxwell Field in Montgomery. She kept singing in clubs in the 1950s and appeared on WTCN-TV in Minneapolis.

By 1960, after her husband passed away, Lillian moved back to Alabama. She sometimes sang at private parties until the 1970s. In 1994, just a few months before she died, a special collection of her old publicity photos was found. Many of these photos, some taken by Lillian herself, showed famous entertainers like Josephine Baker, Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, Valaida Snow, and Glenn Miller. These pictures are very important because some are the only known images of these performers from that time.

Lillian Goodner's Recordings

Lillian Goodner recorded several songs that are still remembered today.

Songs for Ajax Records (December 1923)

These songs were recorded with a group called Her Jazzin' Trio:

• "Chicago Blues"
• "No One Can Toddle Like My Cousin Sue"

Songs for Ajax Records (February 1924)

These songs were recorded with Grainger's Novelty Three (likely Porter Grainger):

• "Awful Moanin' Blues"
• "Ramblin' Blues"

More Songs for Ajax Records (February 1924)

These songs were recorded with Her Sawin' Three, which included James "Bubber" Miley (cornet), Bob Fuller (alto sax), and Lou Hooper (piano):

• "Four Flushing Papa (You've Got To Play Me Straight)"
• "Gonna Get Somebody's Daddy (Just Wait And See)"

Discography

All of Lillian Goodner's recorded songs were put together on a special compilation album called Female Blues Singers, Vol. 6: E/F/G (1922–1929) (DOCD-5510) by Document Records.