LIL GREEN

Biography

Lil Green, born Lillian Green or Lillie May Johnson (birth year disputed, most commonly cited as 1919), was an influential American blues singer and songwriter from Mississippi. Orphaned at a young age, she moved to Chicago in 1929, where she began performing in her teens, first honing her vocal skills in church gospel music before singing in Mississippi jukes and Chicago nightclubs. Green quickly became known for her superb timing, sinuous and sensual soprano voice, and her ability to convey deep emotion through her music.

Her career took off in the late 1930s and early 1940s, with her first recordings for Bluebird Records (a subsidiary of RCA Victor) around age 18. Green's biggest hits included her own composition "Romance in the Dark" (1940), later covered by Dinah Washington and Nina Simone, and her 1941 version of "Why Don't You Do Right?"—a song originally by Kansas Joe McCoy—which became a major hit for Peggy Lee with the Benny Goodman Orchestra. Green was a fixture in Chicago's vibrant club scene, often performing with guitarist Big Bill Broonzy, and she toured with bands like Tiny Bradshaw's, gaining acclaim on the black theater circuit and radio.

By the late 1940s, Green sought to transition toward jazz, emulating the style of Billie Holiday. She signed with Atlantic Records in 1951, but her health was already in decline. Lil Green died of pneumonia in Chicago on April 14, 1954, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Gary, Indiana. Her legacy endures through her influential recordings and the many artists who have covered her songs.

Fun Facts

• Lil Green's birth year is disputed, with sources citing 1901, 1910, 1919, and even 1905.
• She was discovered in Chicago while singing at a revival meeting and also sang along to records while working in a department store.
• Green was billed as the 'Queen of the Blues' and 'In the Dark Mama' during her peak.
• Despite her influence, she never broke out of the black theater circuit and struggled with poor health in her final years.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Church gospel tradition - Early musical training and inspiration through singing gospel in church as a child and teenager (N/A) [1920s]

Key Collaborators

• Big Bill Broonzy - Frequent collaborator, co-writer, and nightclub act partner; played guitar on her recordings (Nightclub acts, 'Romance in the Dark', 'Country Boy Blues', 'My Mellow Man') [1930s-1940s]
• Tiny Bradshaw - Band leader with whom she toured (Touring performances) [Early 1940s]
• Simeon Henry and Ransom Knowling - Session musicians on her early recordings (First five recording sessions for Bluebird Records) [1940-1941]

Artists Influenced

• Peggy Lee - Covered Green's version of 'Why Don't You Do Right?', turning it into a major hit ('Why Don't You Do Right?' (1942, with Benny Goodman Orchestra)) [1942]
• Dinah Washington - Covered Green's song 'Romance in the Dark' ('Romance in the Dark') [1950s]
• Nina Simone - Covered Green's song 'Romance in the Dark' ('Romance in the Dark' (1967)) [1967]

Discography

Top Tracks

1. Menace to society (Menace to society)
2. No Hook (No Hook)
3. What U bout (What U bout)
4. Ona East (Ona East)
5. Aboys (Aboys)
6. Peep hole (Peep hole)
7. Light em up (Light em up)
8. Strictly AB's (Strictly AB's)
9. Trippin (Trippin)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia