Top Swing Artists that Emerged from the Harlem Renaissance

 In the early 20th century, African-American families began migrating from Black Bohemia to Harlem, a neighborhood around New York City due to several factors such as the occurrence of natural disasters and World War I. Famously known as The Great Migration, this population explosion of African-American families turned Harlem into an epicenter of the cultural revolution of the blacks. If you have been a hardcore fan of swing & jazz, then you must have heard the term ‘Harlem Renaissance’. Yes, you’ve guessed it right. It is this socio-cultural revolution that has been popularly termed as renaissance centered in Harlem. During this golden age of dance, music, art, and performances, many black artists came to the fore of popularity. Even to this day, their songs are played on big band swing music radio. Do you want to know the artists who were intertwined with the Harlem Renaissance? Here, we will discuss and pay attribute to such musicians who are and will be etched in our hearts forever. 

 

Louis Armstrong – Born in New Orleans, Louis Armstrong played in small bands in Chicago. But in the late 1920s, Armstrong made his headway in NYC’s Harlem neighborhood. His first break in career came when he got the opportunity for playing music for the Fletcher Henderson Band in New York City. As he became a part of the most popular jazz band of Harlem, Louis Armstrong impacted the Northern audience tremendously. With his unique solos, the jazz legend introduced swing elements into the band’s music arrangement. Apart from music, Armstrong made his presence felt in the field of visual entertainment by becoming the first African-American artist to feature in a Hollywood movie. 

 

Duke Ellington – With over a thousand compositions to his credit, Duke Ellington moved from Washington DC to New York City with his music band. By virtue of his talent and experience, Ellington soon got the opportunity of performing at the famous Kentucky Club in NYC. Also, securing a three-year agreement of performing at the Cotton Club added a feather to the achievements of the band. Although he performed across regions and continents, Duke Ellington remained strongly connected to the socio-cultural fabric of New York City. In fact, the signature tune of the band ‘Take the A Train’ was based on a subway line in NYC. In 1974, Ellington breathed his last and was buried in Bronx of New York City. 

 

Billie Holiday – Popularly known as Lady Day, Billie Holiday started her career as a singer by performing at the night clubs of Harlem. After being noticed by John Hammond, the famous music producer, Holiday got her big break of recording for Benny Goodman’s orchestra. Although she performed regularly for the elite white audience, Billie Holiday was unafraid of talking about the plight of the black people through her music. In 1935, the singer gave back to back hits with ‘Miss Brown to you’ and ‘What a Little Moonlight Can Do’. Want to listen to these golden compositions once again? To enjoy old time radio recording in the USA, tune into Swing Street Radio.

 

Fats Waller – Any discussion on the Harlem Renaissance would remain incomplete without talking about Fats Waller, the incredibly talented jazz pianist. With wonderful compositions like ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ and ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’, the musician laid the groundwork for jazz piano. Born and brought up in New York City, Waller was only 15 when he started performing in the Lincoln Theatre. Apart from featuring frequently in New York-based radio and entertainment shows, the artist also appeared in a handful of Hollywood movies. Even though he secured engagements in Chicago and Philadelphia, Waller was rooted in Harlem until he passed away.

 

Conclusion – The Harlem Renaissance contributed heavily towards the development of modern jazz & swing as well as manifested the cultural legacy of the African-American communities. Even after so many decades, the socio-cultural implications stemming from this renaissance are still deeply rooted in the social fabric of America. To keep alive the spirit and impact of such legendary musicians, you can tune into swing jazz radio and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Listen to Andrew Sisters at The Big Band Music Station USA

The fans of swing music love the way vocalists used to put emphasis on the weaker pulse in the music strain to create the ‘swing feel’. Several soloists of well-known bands gained reputation by improvising on the melody and not depending on the arrangement alone. The golden era of swing music in USA (the 1930s and 1940s) saw the rise of many artists. However, if we talk about the female swing music artists, then none can match the meteoric rise and commercial success of the Andrew sisters. The three Andrew sisters were born in Mound, MN, USA. Their father was a Greek immigrant and their mother was a Norwegian immigrant who owned a restaurant in Minneapolis.

The three sisters; LaVerne Andrews (born on 6 July 1911), Maxene Andrews (3 January 1916) and Patty Andrews (16 February 1918) perfectly complemented each other’s singing style. Laverne Andrews, who was the eldest sister with a great sense of humor used the latter to some great effect in her songs. The middle sister Maxene Andrews had a strong voice and the youngest Patty was loud and energetic. These three diverse combinations of voice and their attractive personalities propelled them to stardom. 

The love for music started quite early for the Andrew sisters. At home, they used to mimic the famous singers of that time and slowly developed their own style, which helped them later to get huge acclaim. They started their professional career when they joined the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis in 1932. In 1933, the three sisters joined a Vaudeville troupe and traveled in the Midwest giving live performances. As they received greater commercial success, they toured the country with bands from 1934-1937. In 1937, they made their first professional appearance at the New York music circuit, when they made their first recording with the famous Leon Belasco band. Later they signed with Dacca and got their first massive hit, ‘Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen.’ This song gave the Andrew sisters commercial fame, which helped them to get scores of radio and personal appearance work. Their next hit ‘Hold Tight, Hold Tight,’ proved that their earlier hit was not a flash in the pan and established their reputation. In the 1940s, their popularity chart grew exponentially and their group was the most profitable stage performers in the USA. Apart from their stage career, the sister became very popular radio artists. They hosted many popular swing music radio shows. Furthermore, the Andrew sisters also appeared in 17 Hollywood movies. They released 8 singles, of which six received great commercial success. Some of their greatest hits include songs like ‘I’ll be with you in Apple Blossom Time,’ ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,’ and ‘Rum and Coca Cola’.

The Andrew sisters also used their huge popularity to boost the wartime effort of the USA in World War 2. They volunteered to entertain the enlisted and the wounded men by singing and dancing for them to raise their morale. On one such occasion, the three sisters went on an eight week USO tour, wherein they entertained thousands of servicemen. The Andrew sisters continued their winning streak and released the critically acclaimed ballad. ‘I can dream, can’t I?’. This song received unprecedented commercial success, wherein it remained in the top 10 for 20 consecutive weeks. 

At the start of the 1950s, the group started facing trouble. The first problem arose when Vic Schoen, their brand leader who was a part of more than 90 percent of their recording, left the group due to creative differences. In 1954, the youngest sister, Patty Andrew left the group to start her solo career. The sisters tried to rekindle their magic when they came together in 1956 and experimented with light rock and roll music. However, they faced a tough challenge from the new rising stars of this music genre, namely, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. 

The Andrew sister’s music group received a body blow when the eldest sister, LaVerne was diagnosed with cancer in 1967. She died a year later when she was just 55 years old. The two remaining sisters dissolved their musical group after the death of their eldest sister and focused on their solo careers. The two sisters again came together for a musical called the ‘over here.’ This program was about WW2 Homefront and had 341 successful performances. The sister continued with their solo career until their demise. Maxene died in 1995 and Patty Andrew died in 2013. The Andrew sisters sang more than 700 songs and earned nine gold records and they sold a total of 90 million records. Considering their commercial success and popularity, the Andrew sisters are considered as one of the greatest groups of all time. 

Conclusion: If you are a huge fan of the Andrew Sisters’ songs and want to listen to them, then connect with the big band music station in USA. We have a huge collection of songs of these singing legends. If you want to listen to any hit music of the Andrew sisters, then you should call us at (650) 479-4641 or mail your request to requests@swingstreetradio.org.