Midge Williams facts for kids

Virginia Louise "Midge" Williams (born May 27, 1915 – died January 9, 1952) was a talented African-American singer. She was known for her amazing voice in swing and jazz music. Midge sang during the 1930s and 1940s.

Even though she wasn't as famous as some other jazz artists, Midge was a very respected singer. Her group, Midge Williams and Her Jazz Jesters, made popular recordings. These recordings were well-liked in the late 1930s.

Midge Williams' Early Life

Midge Williams was given her nickname "Midge" to tell her apart from her mother. Her mother was also named Virginia Louise. Midge's father was John Williams.

She was born in Oregon. Her early years were spent in a special African American farming town. This town was called Allensworth, California, in Tulare County.

Midge's grandfather, Joshua Singleton, was an important person. He was the son of a leader named Benjamin "Pap" Singleton. Joshua Singleton moved his family to Allensworth when the town started in 1909. The Singletons became well-known members of the Allensworth community.

Midge's mother, Virginia Louise Williams, helped run a grocery store. She also helped start a Girl Scouts of the USA group for the Allensworth town.

The town of Allensworth faced problems with its water supply. New water sources were promised but never arrived. Because of this, many families had to leave, including the Williams family.

In 1925, Virginia moved with her children to Oakland. Later, they moved to Berkeley, California. There, Midge's mother studied Arts and Crafts in college. In 1929, Virginia remarried Henry Singleton. The family shared a house with her brother and his family.

Midge Williams came from a very talented family. Her grandfather Joshua was a music teacher. Her mother Virginia Louise was an artist. Her uncle Henry played the violin. Midge also had a half-brother, Lester Williams, who was a jazz musician.

Midge and three of her brothers formed a singing and dancing group. They called themselves the Williams Quartette. The group performed often in churches and theaters. They played in the San Francisco – Oakland area. When they started performing along the West Coast, their name changed to The Williams Four.

Midge Williams' Music Career

In 1933, a man named Roger Segure saw The Williams Four perform. He was a pianist and arranger. Segure became the group's manager. He arranged for them to perform in China and Japan.

In August 1933, The Williams Four traveled to Shanghai, China. They performed at a place called the Canidrome. While they were there, Midge's mother passed away.

In 1934, Midge made her first recordings in Japan. She recorded five songs for Columbia records' Japanese division. She sang songs like "Dinah" and "St. Louis Blues." Midge sang in both English and Japanese.

In April 1934, The Williams Four returned to California. Soon after, Midge's brother Charles passed away unexpectedly. Midge then lived in Berkeley. In the summer of 1935, she became a regular singer on a radio show. The show was called Blue Monday Jamboree.

In early 1936, Midge met Al Jolson. She sang on his radio program, Shell Chateau. By the summer of 1936, Williams moved to New York City. She performed several times on Rudy Vallée's radio show. Her singing voice was so good that she got her own radio show. She sang songs twice a week for the NBC Blue Network. In early 1937, she had another weekly show for the NBC Red Network.

While in New York, Midge appeared on many other radio programs. These included RCA Magic Key and Ben Bernie’s Show. In 1936, Midge began recording songs in America. By 1937, she was recording with her own band. The band was called Midge Williams and Her Jazz Jesters.

Famous musicians were part of the Jazz Jesters. These included Raymond Scott, Frankie Newton, and Charlie Shavers. Midge performed at famous places in Harlem, New York. She sang at the Apollo Theater and the Savoy Ballroom. She also performed with other great jazz musicians. Some of these were Lil Armstrong, Glenn Miller, and Fats Waller.

In 1938, Midge Williams joined the Louis Armstrong orchestra. She toured with him across the country. However, no recordings of Midge with Louis Armstrong were ever made.

Midge Williams' Later Years

In 1941, Midge Williams left the Louis Armstrong orchestra. She briefly returned to the band in the summer of 1943. News reports said Midge was asked to rejoin the band. She was also booked to make short musical films called Soundies.

Midge continued to perform in clubs throughout the 1940s. Most of her shows were in New York. In 1944, newspapers mentioned her performing at Club Jinx in Brooklyn. She also sang at Club Merry-Land in Buffalo and Tondaleyo's Niteclub in Manhattan.

She performed at a Christmas benefit show in November 1944. This was at the Renaissance Ballroom & Casino. Other singers like Ella Fitzgerald were also there.

On April 17, 1946, Midge sang "Cow-Cow Boogie" on the Jack Webb radio show. This was her last known recording. From June to October 1946, Midge performed at Mona's 440 Club in San Francisco. On December 16, 1950, a newspaper reported she joined a show at Shirley Corlett's Longbar Showboat. This club closed three months later.

On January 9, 1952, Midge Williams passed away from an illness. She was 36 years old. Midge was cremated, and her ashes were placed in San Francisco.