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