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BOSWELL, Connie

(b 3 Dec. '07; d 11 Oct. '76 NYC) Changed name later to Connee. Singer; with sisters Helvetia ('Vet') and Martha (d '58), a vocal trio from New Orleans: the Boswell Sisters were highly regarded by musicians, and paved the way for the Andrews Sisters and other white girl groups. They had a middle-class background and grew up listening to blues, spirituals and opera (Connie gave Caruso credit for inspiring breath control); they also played several instruments. Connie did the trio's vocal arrangements; a victim of polio, she worked in a wheelchair. They won a local talent show; signed with Victor and made acoustic sides '25: a Connie solo and a trio side were released, but the act was a duo at first because Vet was too young. It was five years before they recorded again, but the record led to vaudeville work and a West Coast radio show; they played the Paramount Theatre NYC '31; then came many records on Brunswick, a contract with CBS radio and an appearance on the first public TV transmission in the USA. Films included The Big Broadcast '32 (with song 'Crazy People'); Moulin Rouge '34; Transatlantic Merry-go-round '34 (with 'Rock And Roll'). Made overseas tours, UK '33, '35; recorded with Bing Crosby, many fine white jazz musicians and the top black band of Don Redman. They were regulars '34-5 on a Crosby radio show; then switched to the new Decca label '35; Martha and Vet retired '36.

Then she became Connee. In an interview with John Lucas in Jazz Journal '74 [thanks for the tip from Dan Morgenstern], she said, "While working with Bing on the old Kraft Music Hall program, I received a typewritten fan letter that was full of beautiful phrases […Her secretary said] Such a wonderful letter and he didn't even spell your name correctly! Sure enough, he had spelled it Connee. […He] had written before and asked for a signed photograph. I took a second look at my own handwriting. Then and there I knew why he had spelled my name with two e's. Unless I print or type today, I write my name the same as I did then, hardly ever dot the i. I liked the way it looked in print, so when I left the Crosby show and started making public appearances, I decided to go with the two e's."

She carried on solo; appeared on Broadway; much radio work '30s, 40s; entertained troops during WWII; films incl. Artists And Models '37, Kiss The Boys Goodbye '41, Syncopation '42, Swing Parade '46; Senior Prom '59. She could swing, like many white New Orleans musicians, and helped the evolution from the stiff pop singing of earlier years, influencing younger people including Ella Fitzgerald. Many records included sessions with Ambrose '35, Bob Crosby '36, Ben Pollack '37, Woody Herman '39-40; '37 date produced classic 'Basin Street Blues' duet with Bing; only chart hit was 'If I Give My Heart To You' (no. 20 USA '54). Albums included Connie Boswell And The Original Memphis Five In Hi-Fi '56 on RCA with legendary jazz band re-created and led by Billy Butterfield; same period Sings Irving Berlin on Design. Stopped touring '50s; frequent TV work '60s, early '70s. Sisters' compilation CDs on ASV, All Star, Jass and L'Art Vocal.