Mildred Bailey (1907-1951)

Mildred Bailey was born in Tekoa, Washington, and grew up near De Smet, Idaho on the family’s farm on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation.

She was a singer, songwriter and bandleader, and became known as “The Queen of Swing”, the first female to front a big band. She was one of the top-selling artists in Depression-era jazz and was credited with clearing the way for female jazz greats like Billy Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.

Mildred worked with the most famous big bands of the day: The Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, Paul Whiteman, Red Norvo Orchestra, Hoagy Carmichael, Benny Goodman Orchestra, Teddy Wilson Orchestra, Gene Krupa, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Artie Shaw, Tony Bennett, and Mildred Bailey and Her Orchestra.

She was posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1994, a 29-cent stamp was issued by the US Postal Service in Bailey’s honor.

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe in Idaho has launched a campaign to bring recognition to Mildred and her heritage.

Julia Keefe (Nez Perce) has made it her life work to raise awareness of Mildred Bailey's contributions to popular music.

“PLUMMER, Idaho – Jazz aficionados know Mildred Bailey as the legendary singer who cleared the way for female jazz greats like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Less well-known is the fact that Bailey was Native American. Now, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in Idaho has launched a campaign to bring the singer — and her heritage — into the spotlight.

“Mildred Rinker Bailey was one of the top-selling artists in Depression-era jazz.

“To most audiences, Bailey looked white. But her mother was Coeur d’Alene Indian and Mildred spent her early years on the family’s farm on the Coeur d’Alene reservation in Idaho.

“’I think it’s not known at all. Hardly anybody knew,’” says Coeur d’Alene Tribal Chairman Chief Allan.

“The tribe is pushing to have Bailey inducted into the Lincoln Center’s Jazz Hall of Fame. They’re hoping a resolution now moving through the Idaho House will help achieve that goal.

“Not only being Native but being a woman in that era, to be so strong and keep pushing and not to give up, that would help a lot of our young tribal members who are looking for a role model,’” says Chief Allan.

“An early jazz singer with a sweet voice, Mildred Bailey balanced a good deal of popular success with a hot jazz-slanted career that saw her billed as Mrs. Swing (her husband, Red Norvo, was Mr. Swing). Born Mildred Rinker in Washington state in 1907, Bailey began performing at an early age, playing piano and singing in movie theaters during the early ’20s. By 1925, she was the headlining act at a club in Hollywood, doing a mixture of pop, early jazz tunes, and vaudeville standards. Influenced by Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, and Connie Boswell, she developed a soft, swinging delivery that pleased all kinds of nightclub audiences in the area. After sending a demonstration disc in to Paul Whiteman in 1929, she gained a spot with one of the most popular dance orchestras of the day.

“The added exposure with Whiteman soon gave Bailey her own radio program. She had already debuted on a recording date with guitarist Eddie Lang in 1929, but in 1932 she gained fame by recording what became her signature song, “Rockin’ Chair” — written especially for her by Hoagie Carmichael — with a Whiteman small group. While recording for Vocalion during the 1930s, Bailey often utilized her husband, xylophonist/vibraphonist Red Norvo. She also appeared on his recordings of the late ’30s, and the arrangements of Eddie Sauter proved a perfect accompaniment to her vocals.

“… Bailey continued to perform and record during the 1940s. She appeared on Benny Goodman’s Camel Caravan radio program, and gained her own series again during the mid-’40s. Hampered by health problems during the late ’40s, she spent time in the hospital suffering from diabetes and died of a heart attack in 1951.” Late in the 20th century and in the early years of the new millennium, Bailey’s work enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as a number of her recordings of the 1930s and 1940s were reissued on compact discs. She received another posthumous honor in September 1994 when the U.S. Postal Service issued a 29-cent stamp bearing her image as part of its Pop, Jazz, and Blues Legends series. Bailey’s vocal style has often been likened to that of jazz great Billie Holiday, whom Bailey, husband Red Norvo, and record producer John Hammond discovered singing in a small club in New York City. Bailey’s influence is also seen in the work of Bing Crosby and Tony Bennett” (source: Allmusic.com).

Blues, Swing, BIg Band jazz

Singer, songwriter, bandleader

Vocals