Ethel Ennis was Baltimore’s “First Lady of Jazz,” a renowned jazz singer who performed with many legends and wowed audiences at the Newport and Monterey Jazz Festivals. Ennis worked her way up through the blues clubs in Baltimore and released albums on major labels such as Capitol and RCA. She was asked to go on a national headlining tour as her fame grew but she decided to stay in Baltimore, continuing her music career out of her hometown.
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Died: Friday February 17, 2019 (Who else died on February 17?)
Details of death: Died from a stroke at the age of 86.
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In 1958, she toured Europe as part of Benny Goodman’s “all-stars” band: “Everywhere they appeared, Ethel Ennis was a huge success. Baltimoreans were filled with pride at the spectacular rise of one of their own, and fully expected Ethel’s career to continue its path toward the highest peaks of stardom.” —Liz Fixsen, in a profile of Ms. Ennis that was published in “Music at the Crossroads: Lives & Legacies of Baltimore Jazz”
On her start in the Baltimore clubs: “I was much too young to play in clubs, so we played in places like VFW and fellowship halls where my age was accepted. My grandmother always emphasized ‘being a lady.’ She kept saying to always be a lady. So, I’ve been a lady singing the blues in these bars forever.” —Interview with the Baltimore Sun in 1998
Full obituary: Baltimore Sun
Related lives:
- Jazz Legends Photo Gallery
- Billie Holiday: The Tragic Life of Lady Day
- The Benny Goodman Talent Agency
