Mozelle Alderson

Mozelle Alderson
Birth name Mozelle Fagans
Also known as Possibly Kansas City Kitty, Hannah May, Thelma Holmes, Mae Belle Lee, and Jane Lucas
Born (1904-11-20)November 20, 1904
Bedford, Ohio, United States
Died February 15, 1994(1994-02-15) (aged 89)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres Classic female blues
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1920s–1930s
Labels Black Patti, Brunswick, ARC, Vocalion, Paramount

Mozelle Alderson (November 20, 1904 – February 15, 1994)[1] was an American classic female blues singer. She recorded a small series of tracks for both Black Patti and Brunswick between 1927 and 1930. Her most regular pianist was Judson Brown. She was a one-time vocalist for the Famous Hokum Boys in 1930,[2] and toured and recorded as a backing vocalist for other blues artists. Alderson used a number of aliases, possibly including Kansas City Kitty, Hannah May, Thelma Holmes, Mae Belle Lee, and Jane Lucas.[3][4][5]

Little is known of her life outside of her recording career.

Career

She was born Mozelle Fagans in Bedford, Ohio, United States, probably in 1904 but possibly as early as 1900, later marrying and moving to Chicago.[1]

Alderson recorded three singles released by Black Patti Records in 1927, on which she was accompanied by the pianist Blind James Beck. The titles were "Mobile Central Blues", "Tall Man Blues", "Mozelle Blues", "State Street Special", "Sobbin' The Blues" and "Room Rent Blues".[6] "Tight Whoopee" b/w "Tight in Chicago" was issued by Brunswick Records in 1930.[7][8] Judson Brown accompanied her on her Brunswick recordings. She also recorded for the ARC and Vocalion labels.[1]

Harum Scarums, a trio comprising Big Bill Broonzy, Georgia Tom and Alderson, recorded the two-part "Alabama Scratch" in Grafton, Wisconsin, for Paramount Records (Paramount 13054) in January 1931, and it was reported that it sounded "as if it was a real party."[4]

The Famous Hokum Boys self titled compilation album, issued in 2015 on JSP Records, included the following names in the credits : Mozelle Alderson, Scrapper Blackwell, Big Bill Broonzy, Georgia Tom, Frank Brasswell, Kansas City Kitty, Hannah May, and Arthur Petties.[9]

She was widowed by 1941, and married John Slocum in Chicago in 1943.[1]

Alderson died in Chicago in 1994, aged 89.[1]

Her work has appeared on several compilation albums.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 254. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. ↑ Jim O'Neal; Amy van Singel (eds.). The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine. Books.google.co.uk. p. 18. ISBN 0-415-93654-3. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
  3. ↑ Joslyn Layne. "Mozelle Alderson | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  4. 1 2 "Booze, blues go hand in hand for Broonzy, Dorsey and Alderson". Goldminemag.com. 2013-06-20. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  5. ↑ Jim O'Neal; Amy van Singel (eds.). The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine. Books.google.co.uk. p. 26. ISBN 0-415-93654-3. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
  6. ↑ "Mozelle Alderson Discography". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  7. ↑ "Mozelle Alderson 78 RPM - Discography - USA - 78 RPM World". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  8. ↑ Ross Laird. Moanin' Low: A Discography of Female Popular Vocal Recordings, 1920-1933. Books.google.co.uk. p. 3. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  9. ↑ "The Famous Hokum Boys - The Famous Hokum Boys | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  10. ↑ "Mozelle Alderson Discography at CD Universe". Cduniverse.com. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
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