Nellie Lutcher Biography
15 October 1912, Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA, d. 8 June 2007, Los Angeles, California, USA. Lutcher was a singer and pianist, noted for her percussive piano-playing and distinctive scat-vocal approach. She initially played in a big band with her bass-playing father before moving on to join the Southern Rhythm Boys band. She played clubs on the west coast during the late 30s/early 40s and signed to Capitol Records in 1947 following an appearance on a March Of Dimes charity show. Her first release, the R&B-styled and risqué track "Hurry On Down", became a US Top 20 hit that same year and was followed by "He's A Real Gone Guy", "The Song Is Ended" and "Fine Brown Frame". The latter was a cover version of an earlier hit by band leader Buddy Johnson. Lutcher later moved on to Liberty Records, recording a highly rated album, Our New Nellie. However, her popularity had faded, and during the late 60s and early 70s she took a staff job with the Hollywood Local Branch of the Musicians' Union, and occasionally played clubs such as the New York Cookery.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
|
