Ruby Elzy facts for kids

Ruby Elzy in 1935. Photo by Carl Van Vechten.

Ruby Pearl Elzy (born February 20, 1908 – died June 26, 1943) was an American singer who performed in operas and acted in movies. She was known for her powerful soprano voice. Ruby Elzy appeared on stage and in films, and she recorded music before she passed away in her 30s after a medical procedure.

Ruby Elzy's Early Life and Family

Ruby Elzy was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi. She was a very bright student and went to several colleges. She studied at Rust College, then at the Ohio State University, where she graduated in 1930. Later, she attended the Juilliard School, a famous music and arts school, graduating in 1934. At Juilliard, she learned from a well-known teacher named Lucia Dunham.

Ruby had two sisters, Amanda and Beatrice Wayne, and one brother, Robert. Her sister, Amanda Elzy, became an important educator. A high school in Greenwood, Mississippi, Amanda Elzy High School, is named after her. Ruby's mother, Emma Elzy, was also a teacher and a respected member of her church. An award is given each year in her memory.

Ruby Elzy's Amazing Career

Ruby Elzy achieved many great things in her career. She even performed at the White House on December 15, 1937, for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. She sang for a special lunch attended by the wives of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices.

Ruby performed on Broadway, which is famous for its theater shows in New York City. She also appeared in films, on the radio, and in concerts. She acted alongside famous people like Paul Robeson in the 1933 movie The Emperor Jones. She also appeared with Bing Crosby and Mary Martin in the film Birth of the Blues. While these were not her main roles, they showed her talent. She sang at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, and at the Hollywood Bowl in California, both very famous places for performers.

Ruby Elzy in Porgy and Bess

One of Ruby Elzy's most famous roles was playing Serena in George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess. An opera is a play where most of the words are sung. She performed in this show more than 800 times!

While another singer, Anne Brown, sang the main song from Serena's role on the original 1940 album, Ruby Elzy did sing this challenging song on a 1937 CD. This CD was from a special concert honoring George Gershwin after he passed away, held at the Hollywood Bowl.

Ruby Elzy's Lasting Impact

In 1940, a composer named Harold Arlen chose Ruby Elzy to record his new music called "Reverend Johnson's Dream." This was her only commercial recording. In the same year, Ruby married Jack Carr, who was also an actor and singer. He even performed with her in Porgy and Bess. Their marriage lasted until her passing.

Ruby Elzy overcame many challenges, including poverty and unfair treatment, to become a highly praised singer of her time. Her career, though brilliant, lasted only about ten years. She was just about to achieve her biggest dream: to star in the main role of the opera Aida by Giuseppe Verdi. Sadly, one week after her last performance as Serena, Ruby Elzy passed away in Detroit. She was 35 years old.

In 2006, a writer named David E. Weaver, who wrote a book about Ruby Elzy, put together a CD of her performances. This CD, called Ruby Elzy in Song, included twenty rare recordings of her singing.

Ruby Elzy's Films

• The Emperor Jones (1933) as Dolly
• Birth of the Blues (1941)