Maxine Sullivan, Bob Haggart

Biography

Maxine Sullivan was a jazz vocalist born in the early 1900s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who became one of the finest jazz singers of the swing era. She was discovered while singing at the Benjamin Harrison Literary Club in Pittsburgh by pianist Gladys Mosier, who introduced her to pianist and arranger Claude Thornhill. This connection led to her first recordings in August 1937, which included a swing arrangement of the Scottish folk song "Loch Lomond" that became her signature hit and established her as a major jazz vocalist. Sullivan's early success was marked by her light, intimate vocal style and her work at the Onyx Club on West 52nd Street in Manhattan, where she formed both a musical and personal partnership with bassist John Kirby, whom she married in 1938.

After achieving considerable success in the late 1930s and 1940s, Sullivan stepped away from performing in 1958 to work as a nurse and focus on family life and community service in the Bronx. However, she made a remarkable comeback starting in the mid-1960s, returning to the stage with considerable success. She performed and recorded with bassist Bob Haggart's World's Greatest Jazz Band and collaborated with other jazz pioneers living in New York City throughout the late 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Sullivan remained active as a vocalist for approximately half a century, from the mid-1930s until her death in 1987, earning recognition as a precursor to better-known vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan, and influencing later artists like Peggy Lee.

Fun Facts

• Sullivan had very little formal music training, yet became one of the finest jazz vocalists of her era, discovered while singing at a literary club in Pittsburgh.
• In addition to her singing career, Sullivan occasionally played flugelhorn and valve trombone, demonstrating her versatility as a musician.
• Sullivan's 1937 hit recording of "Loch Lomond" typecast her as a folk-song interpreter, though she was equally skilled at performing standards, pop tunes, and original compositions.
• After leaving the music industry in 1958 to work as a nurse, Sullivan made a triumphant comeback in the mid-1960s, proving her enduring talent and earning considerable success in her later years.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Gladys Mosier - Pianist who discovered Sullivan while she was singing at the Benjamin Harrison Literary Club in Pittsburgh and introduced her to Claude Thornhill (Discovery and introduction to professional music) [mid-1930s]
• Claude Thornhill - Pianist and arranger who directed Sullivan's first recordings and helped launch her professional career (First recordings (August 1937) under the direction of Claude Thornhill) [1937]

Key Collaborators

• John Kirby - Bassist with whom Sullivan formed a professional and personal partnership; they married in 1938 and performed together at the Onyx Club (Onyx Club performances and early recordings) [1937-1941]
• Bob Haggart - Bassist and bandleader with whom Sullivan performed and recorded during her comeback in the mid-1960s and beyond (World's Greatest Jazz Band recordings and performances) [mid-1960s-1980s]
• Bob Wilber - Soprano saxophonist who recorded with Sullivan for Monmouth-Evergreen Records ("Too Many Tears" (recorded June 11, 1969 in New York)) [1969]
• Charlie Shavers - Trumpeter who performed and recorded with Sullivan during multiple periods of her career (The Complete Charlie Shavers with Maxine Sullivan (Bethlehem, 1957); early Onyx Club performances) [1938, 1950s]
• Ellis Larkins - Pianist with whom Sullivan recorded sessions (Various recording sessions) [1950s]

Artists Influenced

• Peggy Lee - Later vocalist who named Sullivan as a key influence in several interviews (General vocal jazz style and approach) [post-1950s]

External Links

• Spotify
• [Wikipedia](Not provided in search results)