MILDRED BAILEY

Biography

Mildred Bailey, born Mildred Rinker on February 27, 1907, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, grew up on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation where her mother was an enrolled tribal member and her father was of Swiss-Irish descent. Her family moved to Spokane, Washington, when she was 13, and she began performing as a pianist and singer in speakeasies and movie theaters. At 17, she married Ted Bailey (keeping his surname professionally) and later moved to Los Angeles with her second husband, Benny Stafford, where she gained recognition as a jazz and blues singer on the West Coast. Inspired by her success, her brother Al Rinker and Bing Crosby followed, leading to her introduction to Paul Whiteman in 1929, who hired her as the first featured female vocalist in a major big band.[1][2][3][6]

Bailey's career peaked in the 1930s as 'The Queen of Swing' and 'The Rockin' Chair Lady,' known for her light soprano voice, clear articulation, and jazz phrasing influenced by Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, and Louis Armstrong, blended with Coeur d'Alene tribal songs from her youth. She recorded hits like 'Rockin' Chair,' 'Georgia on My Mind,' and 'Moanin’ Low' with Whiteman until 1932, then freelanced with ensembles like the Casa Loma Orchestra, Dorsey Brothers, and Benny Goodman's studio band. In 1933, she married xylophonist Red Norvo, forming the duo 'Mr. and Mrs. Swing,' with hits such as 'Please Be Kind' and 'Says My Heart'; they recorded together until their 1942 divorce but remained friends. She hosted her own CBS radio series in 1944 and performed in New York clubs like Café Society.[1][2][3][4][5]

Health issues from diabetes and obesity led to hospitalizations in 1938, 1943, and 1949, limiting her later career; her final major gig was with Joe Marsala in Chicago in 1950. Bailey died of heart failure on December 12, 1951, at age 44 in Poughkeepsie, New York. Posthumously, she was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1989 and honored with a U.S. Postal Service stamp in 1994, celebrated as a pioneer who mastered jazz phrasing ahead of many contemporaries.[2][3][5]

Fun Facts

• Bailey was the first widely recognized female vocalist featured regularly with a big band, joining Paul Whiteman in 1929 and launching the trend for women in swing ensembles.[3]
• She helped launch Bing Crosby's career by getting her brother Al Rinker and Crosby work in Los Angeles, and later introduced Crosby to the music of Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith.[1][8]
• Despite her 'white' public image in a racially stratified era, Bailey openly acknowledged her Coeur d'Alene heritage, crediting tribal songs from her youth for shaping her unique jazz style.[2][4][6]
• Bing Crosby provided financial loans to Bailey on multiple occasions during her later health and money struggles.[5]

Associated Acts

• Mildred Bailey & Her Oxford Greys - eponymous, lead vocals
• Mildred Bailey & Her Orchestra - eponymous, lead vocals
• Mildred Bailey & Her Alley Cats - eponymous, lead vocals

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Bessie Smith - major stylistic influence on phrasing and blues delivery (general influence on early recordings) [1920s]
• Ethel Waters - key vocal influence (general influence on jazz singing style) [1920s]
• Louis Armstrong - influenced phrasing and jazz improvisation (general influence) [1920s-1930s]

Key Collaborators

• Paul Whiteman - band leader; first featured female vocalist in big band (recordings including 'Rockin' Chair,' 'Georgia on My Mind') [1929-1932]
• Red Norvo - husband and bandleader; 'Mr. and Mrs. Swing' duo (hits like 'Please Be Kind,' 'Says My Heart') [1933-1942]
• Benny Goodman - all-star studio sessions and later collaborations (1934 session with Coleman Hawkins, Gene Krupa) [1934-1940s]
• Dorsey Brothers - supporting musicians on recordings (Brunswick sessions) [1933]
• Bing Crosby - brother's partner; introduced to jazz via Bailey; financial supporter later (early career facilitation via Paul Whiteman) [1920s-1950s]

Artists Influenced

• Bing Crosby - introduced to Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith music by Bailey (early Rhythm Boys and Whiteman era) [1920s]
• Numerous swing vocalists - pioneered vocal swing style emulated by later singers (general jazz phrasing mastery) [1930s onward]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

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