Mozelle Alderson
Birth nameMozelle Fagans
Also known asPossibly Kansas City Kitty, Hannah May, Thelma Holmes, Mae Belle Lee, Jane Lucas
Born(1904-11-20)November 20, 1904
Bedford, Ohio, United States
DiedFebruary 15, 1994(1994-02-15) (aged 89)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
GenresClassic female blues
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1920s–1930s
LabelsBlack Patti, Brunswick, ARC, Vocalion, Paramount

Mozelle Alderson (November 20, 1904 – February 15, 1994)[1] was an American classic female blues singer. She recorded a small number of tracks for Black Patti Records in 1927 and for Brunswick Records In 1930. Her most regular pianist was Judson Brown. She was a one-time vocalist for the Famous Hokum Boys in 1930[2] and toured and recorded as a backing vocalist for other blues artists. Alderson used a number of aliases, possibly including Kansas City Kitty, Hannah May, Thelma Holmes, Mae Belle Lee, and Jane Lucas.[3][4][5]

Little is known of her life outside of her recording career.

Career

She was born Mozelle Fagans in Bedford, Ohio, in 1904. She married and moved to Chicago, Illinois.[1]

Alderson recorded three singles released by Black Patti Records in 1927, on which she was accompanied on the six tracks by the pianist Blind James Beck: "Mobile Central Blues", "Tall Man Blues", "Mozelle Blues", "State Street Special", "Sobbin' the Blues" and "Room Rent Blues".[6] She recorded "Tight Whoopee" backed with "Tight in Chicago", released by Brunswick Records in 1930.[7][8] The pianist Judson Brown accompanied her on the Brunswick recordings. She also recorded for the ARC and Vocalion labels.[1]

Harum Scarums, a trio comprising Big Bill Broonzy, Georgia Tom and Alderson, recorded the two-part "Alabama Scratch" in Grafton, Wisconsin, for Paramount Records (Paramount 13054) in January 1931, and it was reported that it sounded "as if it was a real party."[4]

The self-titled compilation album of the Famous Hokum Boys, issued in 2015 by JSP Records, includes the following in its credits: Mozelle Alderson, Scrapper Blackwell, Big Bill Broonzy, Georgia Tom, Frank Brasswell, Kansas City Kitty, Hannah May, and Arthur Petties.[9]

Alderson was widowed by 1941. She married John Slocum in Chicago in 1943.[1]

She died in Chicago in 1994, aged 89.[1]

Her recordings are available on several compilation albums.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 254. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. ↑ O'Neal, Jim; Amy van Singel, eds. (2002). The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine. Routledge. p. 18. ISBN 0-415-93654-3. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  3. ↑ Layne, Joslyn. "Mozelle Alderson: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Booze, Blues Go Hand in Hand for Broonzy, Dorsey and Alderson". Goldminemag.com. June 20, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  5. ↑ O'Neal; van Singel, eds. (September 5, 2013). The Voice of the Blues. Routledge. p. 26. ISBN 9781136707483. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Mozelle Alderson Discography of CDs". discogs. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Mozelle Alderson 78 RPM – Discography – USA – 78 RPM World". 45worlds.com. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  8. ↑ Laird, Ross (1996). Moanin' Low: A Discography of Female Popular Vocal Recordings, 1920–1933. Greenwood Press. p. 3. ISBN 9780313292415. Retrieved November 16, 2016. mozelle alderson.
  9. ↑ "The Famous Hokum Boys: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Mozelle Alderson Discography of CDs". Cduniverse.com. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
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