ETHEL WATERS

Biography

Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was a pioneering American singer and actress whose career spanned the genres of blues, jazz, swing, and popular music. Born in extreme poverty in Chester, Pennsylvania, Waters endured a difficult childhood, marrying at age 12 and working as a chambermaid before launching her singing career as a teenager in Baltimore, where she performed under the moniker 'Sweet Mama Stringbean.' Her early breakthrough came when she became the first woman to sing W.C. Handy's 'St. Louis Blues' on stage, quickly establishing herself as a star on the vaudeville circuit and Harlem Renaissance scene.

Waters' artistry was marked by her expressive, full-bodied voice, precise diction, and emotional depth, which allowed her to move seamlessly from classic blues to jazz, ballads, and Broadway show tunes. She recorded major hits such as 'Dinah,' 'Stormy Weather,' 'Am I Blue?,' and 'His Eye Is on the Sparrow,' and became the first Black woman to receive equal billing with white stars on Broadway. Her acting career was equally groundbreaking: she starred in the Broadway musical 'As Thousands Cheer,' the film 'Cabin in the Sky,' and was the second African American to be nominated for an Academy Award (for 'Pinky,' 1949). Waters also broke barriers as the first African American to star in her own television show and the first Black woman nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Beyond her artistic achievements, Waters was a trailblazer for civil rights in entertainment, advocating for actors' rights and serving on the executive council of Actors Equity and the Negro Actors Guild of America. Her legacy endures as one of the most versatile and influential performers of the 20th century, inspiring generations of artists across genres and breaking racial barriers in American entertainment.

Fun Facts

• Ethel Waters was the first African American to star in her own television show, 'The Ethel Waters Show,' in 1939.
• She introduced the song 'Stormy Weather' at the Cotton Club in 1933, which became a jazz standard.
• Waters was the first singer to confront racism in a popular song with 'Suppertime' (1933), which addressed the lynching of African Americans.
• She was known for her strong Christian faith and later toured singing gospel music with evangelist Billy Graham.

Associated Acts

• Ethel Waters & Her Ebony Four

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Earl Dancer - Showman who encouraged Waters to perform for white audiences and helped shape her career by bringing her new material and bookings. (Introduced her to songs like 'My Man' and 'He’s Funny That Way'; arranged her breakthrough Chicago booking.) [Early 1920s]

Key Collaborators

• Duke Ellington - Performed and recorded with Waters, contributing to her jazz repertoire. (Live performances and recordings (notably during Harlem Renaissance era).) [1920s–1930s]
• Benny Goodman - Collaborated as a jazz bandleader and clarinetist. (Live performances and recordings.) [1930s]
• Irving Berlin - Composer who cast Waters in a starring role in his Broadway musical 'As Thousands Cheer.' ('As Thousands Cheer' (Broadway musical))
• Lena Horne - Co-starred in the film 'Cabin in the Sky.' ('Cabin in the Sky' (film, 1943))

Artists Influenced

• Lena Horne - Inspired by Waters' pioneering success in music and film, paving the way for Black women in entertainment. ('Cabin in the Sky' (film, 1943)) [1940s]
• Billie Holiday - Cited Waters as a stylistic influence, particularly in vocal phrasing and emotional delivery. (General influence on Holiday's blues/jazz interpretations.) [1930s–1950s]
• Ella Fitzgerald - Influenced by Waters' jazz and swing vocal techniques. (General influence on Fitzgerald's jazz singing.) [1930s–1950s]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Baby, What Else Can I Do? (Down In My Soul)
2. I Got Rhythm (Down In My Soul)
3. Don't Blame Me
4. Stormy Weather (Down In My Soul)
5. Stormy Weather
6. Stormy Weather - Alternate Take (Down In My Soul)
7. Heat Wave (The Incomparable Ethel Waters)
8. Baby, What Else Can I Do?
9. Taking A Chance On Love
10. Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All The Time) - 78rpm Version (The Incomparable Ethel Waters)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz, #swing, #vocal-jazz