Lu Elliott (August 3, 1924 – March 5, 1987) was an American jazz and blues singer and recording artist. She also recorded some soul songs. Some of the artists she worked with were B. B. King, The Duke Ellington Orchestra and the Sam Williams Express.
Background Elliott was born on August 3, 1924.The Famous, the Familiar and the Forgotten: 350 Notable Newarkers By Guy Sterling Page 203 Lucy Elliott "Lu Elliott" Sims: jazz singer She was a tuba player in her high school band.Jat Magazine 4 Mar 1954 Page 63 – 64 New York Beat As a teenager she won first prize at the amateur night held at Harlem's Apollo Theater.The Baltimore Afro-American April 28, 1981 Page 16 A new career for Lu Elliott in replacing Alberta Hunter
She was married to guitarist Horace C. Sims, who had played in a band called Afro Cubanaires.The Baltimore Afro-American March 23, 1973 Rites For Walter Dawkins, Suicide In His ClubSwing City: Newark Nightlife, 1925-50 Barbara J. Kukla Page 187 In 1952, she and her husband bought a 14-room house in East Orange, New Jersey.Jet October 30, 1952 Page 44 * PEOPLE ARE
During her career she had appeared on the Steve Allen Show and had spent a year working with BB King in the United States as well as touring Europe.The Virgin Islands Daily News December 27, 1975 Page 5 Entertainer Chooses Island As Second Home By St. Claire MurraineThe Virgin Islands Daily News December 27, 1975 Page 14 Entertainer Chooses Island As Second Home, chooses Continued from page 5)
Her sister Billie Lee was also a singer.The New Jersey Afro-American Week of July 29-August 2, 1975 Lu Elliott's friends pack Key Club's benefit show
Career
1940s to 1950s In September 1949 and new on the scene, she provided the vocals on "He's The Greatest Thing There Is" with the Duke Ellington Orchestra that was recorded in New York. She appeared on another recording by the orchestra in late January 1950. Both she and Al Hibbler provided the vocals on "How High the Moon".Duke Ellington: A Listener's Guide Eddie Lambert Page 152Jazz Archeology The TENORSAX of JAMES ROBERT FORREST “JIMMY” Page 6, DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA NYC. Sept. 1, 1949, DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA Detroit, late Jan. 1950 She left the band in February 1950.Ellington on the Web 1950, February 1950 For a period of time she was a singer in the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra. It was revealed in the March 4, 1954 edition of Jet Magazine that she was the only woman tuba player in the musicians union.Jat Magazine 4 Mar 1954 Page 63 – 64 New York Beat
1960s
In 1960, her single "One" / "Big Joe" was released on ABC Paramount. Billboard referred to it as an "Emotion packed" ballad.Soulful Kinda Music http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/abc.htm ABC Paramount Records, 10151Billboard October 31, 1960 Page 58 Reviews of New Pop Records
In January 1967, it was reported that she was returning to recording, with a three-year contract that had just been signed with ABC-Paramount.Jet Jan 12, 1967 Page 63 New York Beat In February, she began a nationwide tour with BB King.The Indianapolis Recorder February 25, 1967 Page 11 B.B. King to begin tour In April 1967, Billboard reported that she had gone to Australia for six weeks of dates in hotels and theaters.Billboard April 29, 1967 Page 54 From The Music Capitals of the World, NEW YORK Later that year, she appeared at the Chevron-Hilton in Sydney, Australia. She stayed there for an extra month.Jet June 1, 1967 Page 62 New York Beat Her 1967 album Way Out From Down Under received a favorable review from Billboard.Billboard December 2, 1967 Page 59 Album Reviews, Pop Special Merit The album was arranged and conducted by Johnny Pate. It is quite possible that her time in Australia was an influence on the title of the album, which featured her with a kangaroo on the front cover.Discogs Lu Elliott – Sings Way Out From Down Under
In June 1968, she appeared on the Joey Bishop Show. Along with Elliott, Johnny Mann and his Orchestra and The Collage appeared.TV.com The Joey Bishop Show Season 2 Episode 185, June 6, 1968, Episode Summary Also in 1968, her With a Little Help from My Friends album was released on ABC Records. The album included the Lennon & McCartney composition "With a Little Help from My Friends", the Willie Cooper & Marshall Boxley composition "Our Love Will Last Forever" and the Frank Loesser composition "If I Were A Bell.WorldCat With a little help from my friends, Lu ElliottCatalog of Copyright Entries: Third series 2036 It received a positive review in Billboard, with, on "If I Were a Bell", her voice being powerful, yet comfortable and her great choice of material commented on.Billboard July 20, 1968 Page 49 Album Reviews, Special Merit Picks, Popular
1970s December 1970 saw her with The Chicki Horn appearing at Jimmy and Wes Pemberton's 21 Club in The Virgin Islands.The Virgin Islands Daily News December 16, 1970 Page ?
In March 1973, she and Al Hibbler sang at the funeral of Key Club owner Walter C. Dawkins, who was believed to have committed suicide in his club by shooting himself.The Baltimore Afro-American March 23, 1973 Rites For Walter Dawkins, Suicide In His Club
In 1975, following the completion of a two week at the Holiday House in Pittsburgh she was hospitalized as a result of severe anemia. She spent a month in Columbus Hospital, Newark. A benefit event was held for her at the Key Club, where she was one of the favorites. Even though she was out of hospital, she was unable to attend the event as she was still recovering and had been advised by her doctor to refrain from show business for a while. Some of the people who turned up for the event were singers Lenny Welch and Gilbert Nelsonn. The Sam Williams Express was there too. Others that attended were her singer sister Billie Lee, her husband Horace Sims, fashion designer Freddie Roach and photographer Irving Overby.The New Jersey Afro-American Week of July 29-August 2, 1975 Lu Elliott's friends pack Key Club's benefit show By the later part of the mid-1970s she was appearing at the Club Daiquiri in St. Thomas with the Sam Williams Express, a group she had teamed up with some years before. Returning to the band after her illness, they changed the name of the band to the Sam Williams-Lu Elliott Experience. In addition to updated jazz tunes, they were covering rock and soul material that included covers of songs by Al Green and Barry White. By popular demand they were to appear again in February 1976.The Virgin Islands Daily News December 27, 1975 Page 5 Entertainer Chooses Island As Second Home By St. Claire MurraineThe Virgin Islands Daily News December 27, 1975 Page 14 Entertainer Chooses Island As Second Home, chooses Continued from page 5)
Around 1979, she appeared on the Redd Foxx and George Kirby shows in Las VegasBaltimore Afro-American April 28, 1981 Page 16 A new career for Lu Elliott in replacing Alberta Hunter
1980s In the first quarter of 1981, Elliott had appeared at the Bally Casino a few times for a period of nearly three months.The Baltimore Afro-American April 28, 1981 Page 16 A new career for Lu Elliott in replacing Alberta HunterThe Afro-American January 9, 1982 Page 13 Feminine Fronteer At A.C Casino In mid-March 1981, she appeared at The Cookery at East Eighth Street at University Place in New York, backed by a duo consisting of Robert Banks on piano and Jimmy Lewis on bass. She was covering material by Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday with songs such as "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady" and "It Don't Mean a Thing".The New York Times March 22, 1981 Arts, CABARET: LU ELLIOTT AT COOKERY By John S. Wilson Elliott was brought into the Cookery after resident artist, 86 year old Alberta Hunter fell and broke her hip. She was sought out by the club's owner Barney Josephson, who tried to fill Hunter's absence with some other singers which did not work out. Then he remembered that he had previously heard her singing at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Lexington Avenue. So he contacted her.The Baltimore Afro-American April 28, 1981 Page 16 A new career for Lu Elliott in replacing Alberta Hunter In May of that year she was singing there from Tuesday to Saturday, backed by Gerald Cook on Piano and with Jimmy Lewis on bass.New York Magazine May 4, 1981 Page 121 Pop/Jazz, THE COOKERY On Saturday, December 12, it was announced Miss Lu Elliott and her Jazz Trio were to play a free show at the Citicorp market in New York.New York Magazine December 14, 1981 Page 126 Music & Dance, Saturday, December 12 In January 1982, she opened for several weeks at the Golden Nugget Casino.The Afro-American January 9, 1982 Page 13 Feminine Fronteer At A.C Casino
Death She died of cancer, either on March 4 or 5th, 1987.The Famous, the Familiar and the Forgotten: 350 Notable Newarkers By Guy Sterling Page 203 Lucy Elliott "Lu Elliott" Sims: jazz singerSwing City: Newark Nightlife, 1925-50 Page 195
Discography (solo) + Singles Title Release info Year Notes "Common Sense" / "If You Still Love Me" MARS MRX 6001 vocalgroupharmony.com THIS WEEK'S SELECTIONS PROVIDED BY ANDREW BOHAN, Common Sense"/"If You Still Love Me" "Big Joe" / "One" ABC-Paramount 45-10151 1960 45Cat Lu Elliott – Discography "What's Wrong" / "If I Were A Bell" Lu El – 402, 403 with John Malachi TrioDiscogs Lou Elliott*, with John Malachi Trio* – What's Wrong "I Love The Ground You Walk On" / "Have You Tried To Forget?" ABC 45-10897 1967 45Cat Lu Elliott – Discography
+ Albums Title Release info Year Notes Sings Way Out from Down Under ABC Records ABCS-584 1967 With a Little Help from My Friends ABC Records – ABC 637 1968 Discogs Lu Elliott Discography
+ VA compilation albums Album title Release info Year Song Notes On Campus Fall 1967 Selections from New Album Releases ABC Records Fall 67 1967 "I've Got You Under My Skin" ABC Promo LP album
Discography (with other artists)
+ As Lu Elliott Artist Release title Release info Year Song title Format Notes Duke Ellington and His Orchestra "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise" / "Joog Joog" Columbia 30195 1949 "Joog Joog" 78 RPM single vocals Lu Elliott, Kay DavisEllington on the Web Ellington 78 rpm Labels 1948 – 1950 recordings Joog Joog Duke Ellington Orchestra Live At Click Restaurant Philadelphia 1949 Raretone 5005-FC 1979 unknown LP album vocals Kay Davis, Lu Elliott, Al HibblerDiscogs [Duke Ellington Orchestra* – Live At Click Restaurant Philadelphia 1949 – Vol. 4 Duke Ellington And His Orchestra The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1949-1950 Classics Records 1191 2001 "The Greatest There Is" CD comp album Duke Ellington And His Orchestra The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1949-1950 Classics Records 1191 2001 "Joog, Joog" CD comp album Duke Ellington And His Orchestra The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1949-1950 Classics Records 1191 2001 "Good Woman Blues" CD comp album Discogs Duke Ellington And His Orchestra – The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1949-1950
+ As Lucy Elliott Artist Release title Release info Year Song title Format Notes Benny Carter And His Orchestra Benny Carter And His Orchestra (No. 2) Parlophone GEP 8568 1957 "Your Conscience Tells You So" LP album Benny Carter And His Orchestra Somebody Loves Me Magic Records AWE 28 1987 "Patience And Fortitude" LP comp album vocal with Benny CarterDiscogs Lucy Elliott Discography
Various artist compilations + As Lou Elliott Album title Artist Release info Year Format Song Notes Rare Blues Girls on King Volume #3 Erskine Hawkins Orch King CD 4503 CD compilation "Lost Time" as Lou Elliott Rare Blues Girls on King Volume #3 Erskine Hawkins Orch King CD 4503 CD compilation "Fair Weather Friend" as Lou Elliott
References
External links Common Sense"/"If You Still Love Me" by Lu Elliott