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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 ZBAILEY, Pearl(b 29 March '18, Newport News VA; d 17 Aug. '90, Philadelphia PA) Singer, actress; brother of dancer Bill Bailey. Moved to Washington DC; won amateur night contest age 13; later another at Apollo. Worked as dancer with Noble Sissle; singer with Edgar Hayes, Cootie Williams '43--4; lifelong friendship with Don Redman began: he wrote arr. for Williams/Bailey, e.g. 'Get Up, Mule'. NYC nightclub debut at Village Vanguard '44, then eight months at the Blue Angel: a natural cabaret artist, she developed a throwaway style full of asides and raps. Toured with Cab Calloway replacing Sister Rosetta Tharpe. On stage in Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer show St Louis Woman '46 (songs 'A Woman's Prerogative', 'Legalize My Name'; received Donaldson Award for acting debut). Impact in first film Variety Girl '47 singing 'Tired' (song became her first record). Other films: Isn't It Romantic? '48, Carmen Jones '54, That Certain Feeling '56, St Louis Blues '58 (with Nat Cole), Porgy And Bess '59, All The Fine Young Cannibals '60, The Landlord '69, Norman Is That You? '76. On stage: Arms And the Girl '50, Bless You All '50, lead in Arlen's House Of Flowers '54; smash in all-black cast of Hello, Dolly! '67. TV special '65 had guest Ethel Waters; own series '70 featuring band of third husband Louie Bellson (married '52); sang at White House church service '71, Concord Jazz Festival '74. Redman was her mus. dir. '50s. Records incl. bluesy duet with Frank Sinatra 'A Little Learnin' Is A Dangerous Thing' '47; delightfully comic version of Louis Jordan's 'Saturday Night Fish Fry' with Jackie 'Moms' Mabley '49 (Moms b Loretta Marey Aiken, 19 March 1894, Brevard NC; d 23 May '75); sexy hit 'Takes Two To Tango', top ten '52. LPs: Pearl's Pearls (RCA); on Roulette mid-'60s: Back On Broadway, Cole Porter Songbook, albums of songs by Arlen, Jimmy Van Heusen, tastefully wicked Pearl Bailey Sings For Adults Only; Come On Let's Play With Pearlie '62 preserved the nightclub act, complete with asides aimed at men in general and Bellson's musicians in particular. Autobiography The Raw Pearl '68. |