BLUE LU BARKER

Biography

Blue Lu Barker, born Louise Dupont on November 13, 1913, in New Orleans, Louisiana, was a celebrated American jazz and blues singer whose career spanned several decades. Raised in a vibrant musical environment, she left school at age 13 and soon married guitarist Danny Barker. The couple moved to New York City in 1930, where Blue Lu began performing in various venues and quickly established herself in the jazz and blues scenes. Her early exposure to the lively musical culture of New Orleans and her partnership with Danny Barker shaped her unique vocal style, characterized by a blend of swing, blues, and playful, risqué lyricism.

Blue Lu's breakthrough came in 1938 with her recording of 'Don’t You Feel My Leg' (also known as 'Don’t You Make Me High'), a song co-written with her husband. The track became an immediate hit and remains her signature tune, later revived by artists such as Maria Muldaur. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, she recorded for prominent labels like Decca, Apollo, and Capitol, often collaborating with jazz luminaries and performing alongside legends such as Cab Calloway and Jelly Roll Morton. Despite a hiatus from 1949 to 1964, she returned to New Orleans and continued performing, making her final recording at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1998, shortly before her death.

Blue Lu Barker's legacy endures as a pioneering female voice in jazz and blues, celebrated for her witty, expressive delivery and her role in shaping the New Orleans sound. She was inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame in 1997, and her influence is acknowledged by both critics and fellow musicians, including Billie Holiday, who cited Barker as a major inspiration.

Fun Facts

• Blue Lu Barker's stage name was created by a record producer who reversed her own suggestion of 'Lu Blue' to 'Blue Lu.'
• Her most famous song, 'Don’t You Feel My Leg,' was considered so risqué that record executives changed its title to 'Don’t You Make Me High' on its original release.
• She and her husband Danny Barker were central figures in New Orleans' jazz revival and were widely celebrated in the city, with her funeral becoming a major public event featuring traditional jazz funeral customs.
• Her recording career experienced two significant hiatuses, but she returned to the stage each time, performing well into her eighties.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• New Orleans street musicians - Early influences from the vibrant street music scene of New Orleans, which shaped her blues and jazz sensibility. (N/A) [1910s-1920s]

Key Collaborators

• Danny Barker - Husband, guitarist, songwriter, and frequent collaborator; co-wrote and performed on many of her recordings. (‘Don’t You Feel My Leg’, Decca and Apollo sessions) [1930s-1994]
• Charlie Parker - Participated in jam sessions and recording dates, notably during Apollo label sessions. (Apollo label recordings) [1940s]
• Erskine Butterfield Trio - Recorded 'A Tisket, A Tasket' together during her early career. ('A Tisket, A Tasket') [1938]

Artists Influenced

• Billie Holiday - Cited Blue Lu Barker as her biggest influence, particularly in vocal style and phrasing. (General influence on Holiday's vocal approach) [1930s-1950s]
• Maria Muldaur - Revived Barker’s signature song 'Don’t You Feel My Leg' and dedicated an album to her music. ('Don't You Feel My Leg – The Naughty Bawdy Blues of Blue Lu Barker') [1980s, 2018]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. A Little Bird Told Me (10-26-48) (Complete Jazz Series 1946 - 1949)
2. A Little Bird Told Me (Capitol Records From The Vaults: "Vine Street Divas")
3. A little bird told me so (Blue Lu Barker, A famous jazz and blues singer from New Orleans)
4. A Little Bird Told Me (Call Me Blue Lu)
5. Here's A Little Girl From Jacksonville (10-26-48) (Complete Jazz Series 1946 - 1949)
6. Loan Me Your Husband (Call Me Blue Lu)
7. Don't You Make Me High - Single Version (Men Are Like Street Cars - Women Blues Singers 1928 - 1969)
8. Don't You Feel My Leg (New Orleans Lady)
9. Don't You Feel My Leg (08-25-46) (Complete Jazz Series 1946 - 1949)
10. Trombone Man Blues (ABC Of The Blues Vol 4)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz, #vocal-jazz