Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was one of the most popular African-American singers and actresses of the 1920s. She moved to New York in 1919 after touring in vaudeville shows as a singer and a dancer. She made her recording debut in 1921 on Cardinal records with “The New York Glide” and “At the New Jump Steady Ball“, but switched over to African-American owned Black Swan label, and recorded “Down Home Blues” and “Oh Daddy” the first Blues numbers for that company.
She frequently sang with Fletcher Henderson during the early 1920s, but by the mid-1920s Waters had became more of a pop singer. She performed in a number of musical revues throughout the rest of the decade and appeared a couple of films, including “Check and Double Check” with Amos ‘n’ Andy and Duke Ellington.
By the end of the 1930s she was a big star on Broadway. In 1949, she was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress in the film “Pinky”, and the next year she won the New York Drama Critics Award for best actress. Waters got religion in the late Fifties and performed and toured with evangelist Billy Graham until her death in 1977.
| Ethel Waters accompanied by Albury’s Blue and Jazz Seven |
| Ethel Waters’ Jazz Masters |
| Ethel Waters accompanied by her Ebony Four |
| Ethel Waters accompanied by Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders |
| Ethel Waters accompanied by Will Marion Cook’s Singing Orchestra |
| Ethel Waters with The Herman Chittison Trio |
| Ethel Waters with Ed Mallory and his Orchestra |
| Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
| All The Time (Horley) |
6-1923 | Long Island City, New York | Black Swan 14155 |
| Am I Blue? From Warner Brothers Talking Picture “On With The Show” (Harry Akst / Grant Clarke) |
5-14-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 1837-D |
| Back Bitin’ Mamma (Fats Waller) |
8-1-1924 | New York, New York | Vocalion A 14860 |
| Better Keep Your Eye On Your Man | 7-11-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 14458-D |
| Birmingham Bertha From Warner Brothers Talking Picture “On With The Show” (Harry Akst / Grant Clarke) |
5-14-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 1837-D |
| Brother, You Got Me Wrong (Hall / Geise) |
5-13-1925 | New York, New York | Columbia 433-D |
| Come Up And See Me Sometime “Take A Chance” (Swanstrom / Alter) |
3-16-1934 | New York, New York | Brunswick 6885 |
| Do I Know What I’m Doing? (Robin / Coslow / Whiting) |
6-7-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 1905-D |
| Do What You Did Last Night Piano Accompaniment by James P. Johnson(Andy Razaf / J.C. Johnson) |
8-21-1928 | New York, New York | Columbia 14380-D |
| Ethel Sings ‘Em (Ethel Waters) |
6-1923 | Long Island City, New York | Black Swan 14154-B |
| Georgia Blues | 7-8-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 14565-D |
| Get Up Off Your Knees Piano Accompaniment by James P. Johnson (Clarence Williams) |
8-21-1928 | New York, New York | Columbia 14380-D |
| Guess Who’s In Town Piano Accompaniment by James P. Johnson (Andy Razaf / J.C. Johnson) |
8-21-1928 | New York, New York | Columbia 14353-D |
| Harlem On My Mind From “As Thousands Cheer” (Irving Berlin) |
10-10-1933 | New York, New York | Columbia 2826-D |
| Heat Wave (Irving Berlin) |
10-10-1933 | New York, New York | Columbia 2826-D |
| Home (Cradle Of Happiness) (Johnson) |
5-6-1927 | New York, New York | Columbia 14297-D |
| If You Don’t Think I’ll Do Sweet Pops (Just Try Me) (Louis Armstrong / Lil Hardin-Armstrong) |
3-1923 | Long Island City, New York | Black Swan 14148-B |
| I Got Rhythm (George Gershwin) |
11-18-1930 | New York, New York | Columbia 2346-D |
| I Like The Way He Does It (Dallavon) |
7-8-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 14565-D |
| I Want My Sweet Daddy Now (Heywood) |
6-28-1927 | New York, New York | Columbia 14229-D |
| Jeepers Creepers | New York, New York | Bluebird B-10025-B |
|
| Jersey Walk (Creamer / Dowling / Hanley) |
9-29-1926 | New York, New York | Columbia 14182-D |
| Lonesome Swallow (Andy Razaf / J.C. Johnson) |
8-21-1928 | New York, New York | Columbia 14411-D |
| Long Lean Lanky Moma (Rich) |
7-11-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 14458-D |
| Memories Of You (Andy Razaf / Eubie Blake) |
8-19-1930 | New York, New York | Columbia 2288-D |
| Miss Otis Regrets (She’s Unable To Lunch Today) (Porter) |
8-20-1934 | New York, New York | Decca 140 A |
| Moonglow (Hudson / DeLange / Mills) |
8-20-1934 | New York, New York | Decca 140 B |
| My Baby Sure Knows How To Love (Crawford / Rafe) |
8-21-1928 | New York, New York | Columbia 14411-D |
| My Handy Man Piano Accompaniment by James P. Johnson (Andy Razaf) |
8-21-1928 | New York, New York | Columbia 14353-D |
| My Kind Of Man (Strothart / Grey / Rice) |
6-3-1930 | New York, New York | Columbia 2222-D |
| One Sweet Letter From You (Warren / Clare / Brown) |
10-14-1927 | New York, New York | Columbia test |
| Organ Grinder Blues (Clarence Williams) |
8-21-1928 | New York, New York | Columbia 14365-D |
| Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone (Sidney Clare / Sam H. Stept / Bee Palmer) |
2-10-1931 | New York, New York | Columbia 2409-D |
| Pleasure Mad (Sidney Bechet) |
8-1-1924 | New York, New York | Vocalion B 14860 |
| Porgy (Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh) |
4-1-1930 | New York, New York | Columbia 2184-D |
| Refrigeratin’ Papa (Mama’s Gonna Warm You Up) (Wasserman) |
2-19-1926 | New York, New York | Columbia 14132-D |
| River Stay ‘Way From My Door (Dixon / Woods) |
8-10-1931 | New York, New York | Columbia 2511-D |
| Second-Handed Man (Easton / Ethel Waters) |
6-6-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 1871-D |
| Shine On, Harvest Moon (Nora Bayes / Norworth) |
8-10-1931 | New York, New York | Columbia 2511-D |
| Shoo Shoo Boogie Boo (From Moran and Mack’s Talking Picture “Why Bring That Up”) (Robin / Coslow / Whiting) |
6-7-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 1905-D |
| Smile! (Heywood / Dancer / Whiteman) |
5-6-1927 | New York, New York | Columbia 14229-D |
| Someday, Sweetheart (Warren / Clare / Brown) |
10-14-1927 | New York, New York | Columbia 14264-D |
| Some Of These Days (Shelton Brooks) |
10-14-1927 | New York, New York | Columbia 14264-D |
| Sweet Man Blues (J.C. Johnson) |
6-1923 | Long Island City, New York | Black Swan 14154-A |
| Sympathetic Dan (Flatow / Creamer) |
7-28-1925 | New York, New York | Columbia 433-D |
| Take Your Black Bottom Outside (Williams) |
5-6-1927 | New York, New York | Columbia 14214-D |
| Tell ‘Em Bout Me (When You Reach Tennessee) (Sidney Easton) |
3-25-1924 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12214-A |
| Throw Dirt In Your Face | New York, New York | Columbia 14132-D |
|
| They Say | New York, New York | Bluebird B-10025-A |
|
| Trav’lin’ All Alone (Johnson) |
7-11-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 1933-D |
| Three Little Words (Kalmar / Ruby) |
11-28-1930 | New York, New York | Columbia 2346-D |
| True Blue Lou (Robin / Coslow / Whiting) |
6-7-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 1871-D |
| Waiting At The End Of The Road (Irving Berlin) |
7-11-1929 | New York, New York | Columbia 1933-D |
| Weary Feet | 5-6-1927 | New York, New York | Columbia 14214-D |
| West End Blues (King Oliver / Clarence Williams) |
8-21-1928 | New York, New York | Columbia 14365-D |
| (What Did I Do To Be So) Black And Blue (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller / Ernie Brooks) |
4-1-1930 | New York, New York | Columbia 2184-D |
| When Your Lover Has Gone (Swan) |
2-10-1931 | New York, New York | Columbia 2409-D |
| Who’ll Get It When I’m Gone? (Horley) |
6-1923 | Long Island City, New York | Black Swan 14155 |
| Without That Gal! (Donaldson) |
6-16-1931 | New York, New York | Columbia 2481-D |
| You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me (Fain / Kahal / Norman) |
6-3-1930 | New York, New York | Columbia 2222-D |
| You Can’t Do What My Last Man Did (James P. Johnson) |
6-1923 | Long Island City, New York | Black Swan 14151-A |
| You Can’t Stop Me From Loving You (Holiner / Nichols) |
6-16-1931 | New York, New York | Columbia 2481-D |
| You’ll Need Me When I’m Long Gone (Carpenter) |
3-25-1924 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12214-B |
| You’re Lucky To Me (from “Lew Leslie’s” Blackbirds of 1930″) (Andy Razaf / Eubie Blake) |
8-19-1930 | New York, New York | Columbia 2288-D |
| You’ve Seen Harlem At It’s Best | 3-16-1934 | New York, New York | Brunswick 6885 |
| Artist | Instrument |
| Bill Benford | Bass Brass |
| Rube Bloom | Piano |
| Tony Colucci | Guitar |
| Jimmy Dorsey | Clarinet |
| Tommy Dorsey | Trombone |
| Bob Effors | Trumpet |
| Benny Goodman | Clarinet |
| Fletcher Henderson | Piano |
| Horace Holmes | Cornet |
| Alex Jackson | Alto Saxophone |
| H. Leonard Jeter | Vocals |
| James C. Johnson | Piano |
| James P. Johnson | Piano |
| Manny Klein | Trumpet |
| Stan King | Drums |
| Eddie Lang | Guitar |
| Adrian Rollini | Bass Saxophone |
| Ben Selvin | Violin, Piano, Guitar |
| Frank Signorelli | Piano |
| Joe Smith | Cornet |
| Muggsy Spanier | Trumpet |
| Joe Tarto | Bass |
| William A. Tyler | Violin |
| Joe Venuti | Violin |
| Fats Waller | Piano |
| Clarence Williams | Piano |
| Pearl Wright | Piano |
| Title | Director | Year |
| On With The Show | Alan Crosland | 1929 |
| Rufus Jones For President | Roy Mack | 1934 |
| Gift of Gab | Karl Freund | 1934 |
| Bubbling Over | 1934 | |
| Cairo | W.S. Van Dyke | 1942 |
| Tales of Manhattan | Julien Duvivier | 1942 |
| Stage Door Canteen | Frank Borzage | 1942 |
| Cabin in the Sky | Vincente Minnelli | 1943 |
| Pinky | John Ford and Elia Kazan | 1943 |
| The Member of the Wedding | Fred Zinnemann | 1952 |
| The Sound and the Fury | Martin Ritt | 1959 |
| His Eye Is On The Sparrow by Ethel Waters with Charles Samuels, Doubleday and Company, 1950 |
| To Me It’s Wonderful by Ethel Waters, Harper and Row, 1972 |
Redhotjazz.com was a pioneering website during the "Information wants to be Free" era of the 1990s. In that spirit we are recovering the lost data from the now defunct site and sharing it with you.
Most of the music in the archive is in the form of MP3s hosted on Archive.org or the French servers of Jazz-on-line.com where this music is all in the public domain.
Files unavailable from those sources we host ourselves. They were made from original 78 RPM records in the hands of private collectors in the 1990s who contributed to the original redhotjazz.com. They were hosted as .ra files originally and we have converted them into the more modern MP3 format. They are of inferior quality to what is available commercially and are intended for reference purposes only. In some cases a Real Audio (.ra) file from Archive.org will download. Don't be scared! Those files will play in many music programs, but not Windows Media Player.
