During 1938-45, Linda Keene (1911-81) sang with Glenn Miller, the Bobby Hackett Orchestra, Jack Teagarden’s big band, Red Norvo, Muggsy Spanier, Lennie Hayton, Charlie Barnet, Red Nichols, Tony Pastor, and Henry “Hot Lips” Levine in addition to recording with Joe Marsala and Charlie Shavers. But despite having a warm voice and being flexible enough to range from Dixieland and blues to sweet ballads, she never gained much fame and slipped away into history.
Keene, who today is best known (if at all) for starring in three Soundies made with Hot Lips Levine, deserved better. The two-disc Fresh Sound set Linda Keene: The Dixie Songbird’s Complete Recordings has all 29 of her recordings plus (to fill in the CDs) a dozen other numbers recorded at those sessions on which she does not appear. The 52-page booklet by Scott Henderson is remarkably detailed including everything that is known about the elusive figure. By itself it is enough of a reason to acquire this set.
Linda Keene, whose singing is at times reminiscent of Mildred Bailey and (in her earliest recordings) Billie Holiday, had a likable style. While sometimes billed as a “blues singer,” Keene (who began singing professionally in 1931) was actually a swing and standards vocalist who was ambitious and had a lot of short-term musical associations, moving from band to band in search of more work and exposure.
While she c
