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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZGIBBS, Georgia(b Frieda Lipschitz, 17 August 1919, Worcester MA in an orphanage; d 9 December 2006) US pop singer; biggest successes were in mid-1950s. She worked in radio on Your Hit Parade, Camel Caravan, own singing show; sang with bands from age 15; as Fredda Gibson with Hudson/DeLane band '38 ('If We Never Meet Again'). (Will Hudson, b 8 March 1908, Barstow CA; Edgar DeLange, b 12 January 1904, Long Island City NY; d 13 July 1949, L.A. were arrangers and songwriters who led a band together briefly; Hudson arranged for many fine bands; they co-wrote 'Moonglow', 'Organ Grinder's Swing', etc). Gibbs worked with Frankie Trumbauer '40 ('Laziest Gal In Town'), Artie Shaw '42 ('Not Mine'/'Absent Minded Moon'); and soon took the name Georgia Gibbs; later a regular on the Jimmy Durante/Garry Moore radio show, she was dubbed 'Her Nibs' by Moore. Her strong, accurate voice and showmanship brought her 15 top 40 hits '50-9, beginning with a cover of an inane novelty 'If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake' on Coral. Signed to Mercury '51, she was a good rhythm singer and deserved her own material, but the early '50s were a dire time for anyone with talent. 'Kiss Of Fire' (no. 2 '52) was an adaptation of an Argentine tango ('El Choclo'), 'Seven Lonely Days' (no. 11 '53) was a cover of a top ten country hit by Bonnie Lou (Bonnie Lou Kath, b 27 Oct. '24, Bloomington IN, who sang on the Midwestern Hayride for over 20 years), and most of the rest of Gibbs's hits were R&B covers: 'Tweedle Dee' (no. 2 '55; LaVerne Baker original no. 4 R&B, only 14 pop), 'Dance With Me Henry' (no. 1 '55, with watered-down lyrics based on 'Work With Me Annie' by Hank Ballard, and the overtly sexual 'Roll With Me Henry' by Ballard, Johnny Otis and Etta James). By the time Gibbs covered 'Jim Dandy' '56, white kids had caught on: Baker's no. 3 R&B hit made the pop top 20, while Gibbs didn't chart. She began label-hopping to RCA, her last top 40 hit 'The Hula-Hoop Song' on Roulette '58. Albums included Swingin' With Her Nibs on Mercury, Georgia Gibbs on Epic '63 and Something's Gotta Give on Imperial '64. She semi-retired to Italy. |