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Kansas City in the 1930s: Julia Lee, Mary Lou Williams, Countess Margaret Queenie Johnson
January 2026
100 years ago, as jazz was being created, regions across the U.S. were developing reputations for certain "sounds," depending on the financial situations and on the musicians living there. There were the sophisticated sounds of Duke Ellington in Manhattan; the Chicago musicians who were influenced by the New Orleans musicians after the close of the infamous legalized, segregated vice district, Storyville, in 1917; and, later, the West Coast sound out of Los Angeles and the Central Avenue sounds of the Afro-American Community 1920-1955. There was the Western Swing phenomenon with Bob Wills out of Texas, combining country and jazz, and the blues sounds of the deep South. Although Vaudeville and later various road circuits showcased the different bands to new audiences, out of the big cities there was no internet to play everyone everywhere. Radio and juke boxes accelerated the markets. People were clamoring to hear all of it. One of the sounds that was distinct to the development of jazz and blues emanated from Kansas City.
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Women in Blues & Jazz: Marcia Ball, Cindy Cashdollar, Carline Ray
December 2025
In this column—as a rule—I haven’t mentioned many women who have achieved the recognition they deserve. But I have to make an exception for pianist/singer/songwriter Marcia Ball, who recently announced her retirement due to being diagnosed with ALS. She has had a wonderful career, apparently enjoying herself most of the way. Described by USA Today as "a sensational, saucy singer and superb pianist... where Texas stomp-rock and Louisiana blues-swamp meet."
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Women in Blues and Jazz: Sue Foley, Shirley Scott, Dorothy Fields
November 2025
I first met Sue Foley in the early ’90s, back in Austin, Texas. I was beginning my road days with blues singer Candye Kane, known for her sassy and outspoken persona. Candye was trying and succeeded in getting a record deal with Antone’s Records, which Sue signed in 1989. By 1993, when Candye and I met her, she was a major part of the highly respected Austin blues scene. Mentored by Clifford Antone, Sue was seen by him when she sat in with Duke Robillard’s band during the Memphis, Tennessee W.C. Handy Awards. He invited her to Austin, and she began recording for Antone’s Records.
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Women in Blues and Jazz: Ruth Brown, Blanche Calloway, Vi Redd
October 2025
In this column, for the most part, I have not written about the women who have easily identified names, choosing the more obscure women that history has failed to give the accolades they deserve. But I’ve come to realize that some people who read this are not familiar with the jazz and blues genres or are too young to know of famous musicians in the 20th century in particular. So, I am beginning this month’s column with Ruth Brown, also known the Queen of R&B.
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Women in Blues and Jazz: Tracy Nelson • the Sweet Inspirations • Toshiko Akiyoshi
September 2025
Called "a bad white girl" by Etta James, Tracy Nelson came into my radar in the early ’70s, when I heard a duet with her and Willie Nelson, singing "Ashes of Love." | With the core group that included Cissy Houston (1933-2024), Myrna Smith (1941-2010), Sylvia Shemwell (1941-2010), and Estelle Brown (b. 1946), the Sweet Inspirations were founded by Cissy Houston in the mid 1960s as a group of session singers, initially. | Toshiko Akiyoshi was only 23 years old when the great jazz pianist Oscar Peterson heard her during a Jazz at the Philharmonic tour, in 1953, in Japan.
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Women in Blues and Jazz: Lil Hardin Armstrong, Gladys Bentley, Sweet Emma Barrett
August 2025
I have listened to many wonderful piano players over the years, both male and female. Because of strict social norms, many women frequently ended up being piano players. This was long the practice in many societies. The piano in the house was where music was made. In the days before electricity and radio, it might have been the only place.
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Women in Jazz and Blues: Joanne Brackeen, Doreen Ketchens, Carolyn Wonderland
July 2025
I have spent most of this year writing about women who began their careers in the early part of the 20th century. In July’s segment, I want to concentrate on three women who are still active—in three different styles of blues and/or jazz and in three different parts of the country.
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Women in Blues and Jazz: The Boswell Sisters • Katie Webster • Victoria Spivey
June 2025
The Boswell Sisters were born at the beginning of the 20th century and came of age just as jazz was developing. They were classically trained, originally playing piano (Martha), cello (Connie), and violin (Vet). Their older brother was a classical violinist who became interested in jazz and his little sisters quickly joined him. Eventually, Martha accompanied them on piano, and they became most famous for their singing. Having sung together since they were born, their harmonies, their phrasing, their lyrics (singing often in what they called "gibberish"), was something no one had heard before.
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Women in Jazz and Blues: Jeannie Cheatham • Big Mama Thornton • Sippie Wallace
May 2025
One of the best concerts I ever attended was the PBS Special at the Belly Up Tavern in 1983, featuring Three Generations of the Blues, highlighting Sippie Wallace, Big Mama Thornton, and Jeannie Cheatham. Each of them, while well known by blues fans today perhaps didn’t always get the attention they should have. Big Mama and Sippie died not too long after the show, but Jeannie is still alive and actually lives in San Diego. The very cool thing about that concert, was how much they all were enjoying themselves.
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Women in Jazz and Blues: Hazel Scott • Valaida Snow • Bricktop
April 2025
This month’s spotlight includes three musicians who were essentially driven out of the country, either by racism and/or politics. This period includes the ’20s, ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. This pattern seems to be repeating today but by different names (DEI, Woke, Censorship, etc.)
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Women in Jazz and Blues: Lou Ann Barton • International Sweethearts of Rhythm • Jerrie Thill
March 2025
This month is officially Women’s History Month, or at least it used to be. I have chosen several women and/or bands that might be well-known to some, but mostly not to others. All of these musicians have made a big impact on me personally.
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Women in Jazz and Blues: Marian McPartland, Hadda Brooks, and Camille Howard
February 2025
Blues and jazz are America’s original contribution to world culture. Because women (and others) have been consistently left out of the history books, it has been my passion to invoke their memory when appropriate. Some were so good, they can’t be ignored—people like Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, and Nina Simone to name a few. I would like to refresh or highlight the contributions of some of my favorites.
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