Nellie Lutcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nellie Lutcher
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Lutcher in 1950
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Background information | |
Birth name | Nellie Rose Lutcher |
Born | Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S. |
October 15, 1912
Died | June 8, 2007 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
(aged 94)
Genres | Jazz, R&B |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Labels | Capitol, Okeh, Decca, Liberty |
Associated acts | Clarence Hart, Nat "King" Cole |
Past members | Charles Burrell (musician) |
Nellie Rose Lutcher (born October 15, 1912 – died June 8, 2007) was an American singer and pianist. She was famous for her R&B and jazz music. Nellie became very popular in the late 1940s and early 1950s. People knew Nellie for her clear and sometimes funny way of singing words. Other famous singers, like Nina Simone, said Nellie inspired them.
Nellie's Early Life
Nellie Lutcher was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She was the oldest of 15 children! Her parents were Isaac and Suzie Lutcher. Her brother, Joe Lutcher, also became a famous saxophone player. Her dad played the bass guitar. Her mom played the organ at church.
Nellie took piano lessons. Her father even started a family band with her playing the piano. When she was just 12 years old, Nellie played with the famous blues singer Ma Rainey. Ma Rainey's usual piano player got sick. So, someone told Ma Rainey about a talented little girl who played piano at church. Nellie stepped in and played for the show!
Nellie's Music Career
When Nellie was 15, she joined her father in a band called Clarence Hart's Imperial Jazz Band. She also briefly married the band's trumpet player. In 1933, she joined another group called the Southern Rhythm Boys. Nellie wrote their music arrangements and traveled with them a lot.
In 1935, Nellie moved to Los Angeles. There, she married Leonel Lewis and had a son. She started playing swing piano and singing in small groups. She developed her own special style. She was inspired by great musicians like Earl Hines, Duke Ellington, and her friend Nat King Cole.
Becoming a Star
Nellie wasn't widely known until 1947. She heard about a talent show for the March of Dimes at Hollywood High School. She decided to perform there. The show was on the radio, and her performance caught the ear of Dave Dexter. He was a talent scout for Capitol Records.
Capitol Records signed Nellie, and she made several records. Her first big hit was "Hurry On Down." It reached number 2 on the Billboard R&B music chart. After that, her song "He's A Real Gone Guy" also became a hit. It reached number 2 on the R&B chart and even made it to number 15 on the pop charts!
In 1948, Nellie had more R&B hits. "Fine Brown Frame" was her third song to reach number 2 on the R&B chart. Her songs were popular on pop, jazz, and R&B charts. She traveled widely and became very famous. Nellie wrote many of her own songs. She was also able to keep the important rights to her music. This was special for African-American artists at that time.
Later Career and Legacy
In 1950, Nellie sang two songs with Nat King Cole: "For You My Love" and "Can I Come in for a Second." That same year, her records started to be released in the UK. A radio DJ named Jack Jackson helped make her music popular there. Nellie performed in a big UK tour, which Jackson hosted. It was a huge success! She later returned to the UK to tour by herself.
In 1951, Nellie recorded with an orchestra for the first time. She sang "The Birth of the Blues" and "I Want to Be Near You." However, her music was not as popular with record buyers anymore. Capitol Records stopped working with her the next year. She continued to record for other labels like Okeh, Decca, and Liberty. But these were not as successful. She slowly started to perform less often.
In 1952, Nellie was asked to perform on a "happy new years" TV special. After she finished her song, she found out it was a surprise! She was actually on the set of This Is Your Life, and the show was all about her!
Nellie Lutcher passed away in Los Angeles in 2007. She was 94 years old. She was the aunt of Latin jazz musician Darryl "Munyungo" Jackson and singer Jacquelyn Levy.