HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Julia Lee

Birth of Rock and Roll: Roosevelt Sykes

Julia Lee

Source: MEMIM

 

I've chosen Julia Lee to lead us into the R&B portion of the HMR Project. Born on 31 October 1902 in Boonville, Missouri, Lee was raised in Kansas City. It was about 1920 when she began singing and playing piano in her brother's band, the George E. Lee Novelty Swing Orchestra. That was more a vaudeville operation than a jazz orchestra in its earlier years. George Lee's main rival in Kansas City during the twenties and thirties was Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra. Charlie Parker would briefly play in George Lee's outfit in the thirties. Count Basie would take over Moten's operation upon the latter's death in 1935.

Lee, meanwhile, had long since recorded 'Waco Blues' and 'Just Wait Until I'm Gone' with the George E. Lee Novelty Singing Orchestra in June of 1923 for Okeh (matrices 8408, 8409). The fate of those is unknown. Working with her brother's band, Julia made her debut recording to issue in 1926 with pianist, Jesse Stone, in in the orchestra: 'Downhome Syncopated Blues' (Meritt 2206). Discographer, Brian Rust, had given that a recording date of circa 1927 though Discogs has a release date of 1926 w 'The Meritt Stomp' on side B.  In November of 1929 George backed Julia on 'He's Tall Dark and Handsome' bw 'Won't You Come Over to My House' (Brunswick 4761), Stone also in the orchestra:

 

'Down Home Syncopated Blues'   Julia Lee   1926

George E. Lee and his Novelty Singing Orchestra

 

'He's Tall Dark & Handsome'   Composed by Julia Lee   Recorded 8 Nov 1929   Issued April 1930

George E. Lee and his Novelty Singing Orchestra

 

'Won't You Come Over to My House'   Composed by Julia Lee   Recorded 8 Nov 1929   Issued April 1930

George E. Lee and his Novelty Singing Orchestra

 

Lee ventured upon a solo career in 1935. Billboard created a Rhythm and Blues category as early as 1942. In 1944 Lee was with Jay McShann's Kansas City Stompers for Capitol Records on 'Come on Over to My House' with 'Trouble in Mind'. In 1946 Lee put away 'Dream Lucky Blues' w 'Lotus Blossom' for Mercury, after which she recorded by contract with Capitol Records as Julia Lee and Her Boy Friends. Starting with 'Gotta Gimme Watcha Got' in 1946, Lee placed eight titles on Billboard's R&B Top Ten to 'I Didn't Like It the First Time' ('Spinach Song') in 1949. 'Snatch and Grab It' reached #1 in 1947, as did 'King Size Papa' in 1948.

 

'Come On Over to My House'   Composed by Julia Lee   Issued on Capitol 10030 in 1944

Jay McShann's Kansas City Stompers

 

'Show Me Missouri Blues'   Composed by Julia Lee w George Fathead Thomas   Issued on Mercury 8005 in April 1946

Tommy Douglas Orchestra

 

'Lotus Blossom'   Composed by Julia Lee w Titus Turner   Issued on Mercury 8013 in July 1946

The Instrumental Trio: Julia Lee - Ben Curtis - Baby Lovett

 

'Gotta Gimme Whatcha Got'   Composed by Julia Lee   Issued on Capitol 308 in Sep 1946

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'Julia's Blues'   Composed by Julia Lee   Issued on Capitol 320 in Nov 1946

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'Young Girl's Blues'   Composed by Vernon White   Issued on Capitol 379 in March 1947

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'Snatch and Grab It'   Composed by Sharon Pease   Issued on Capitol Americana 40028 in Aug 1947

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'Snatch and Grab It'   Composed by Red Burns   Issued on Capitol Americana 40056 in Nov 1947

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'King Size Papa'   Composed by Johnny Gomez & Paul Vance   Issued on Capitol Americana 40082 in Jan 1948

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'I Didn't Like the First Time (Spinach Song)'   Composed by Johnny Gomez & Bill Gordon   Issued on Capitol 15367 in Feb 1949

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'You Ain't Got It No More'   Composed by Mildred Wax   Issued on Capitol 57-70031 in Sep 1949

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'My Man Stands Out'   Composed by Yardley Yates   Issued on Capitol 1111 A in July 1950

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'Don't Come Too Soon'   Composed by Johnny Gomez & Richard Elliot   Issued on Capitol 1111 B in July 1950

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'Pagan Love Song'   Composed by Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed   Issued on Capitol F-465 A in Aug 1950

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles'   Composed by John Kellette   Issued on Capitol F-465 B in Aug 1950

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

'Lotus Blossom'   Composed by Julia Lee w Titus Turner   Issued on Capitol 1376 in 1951

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

 

Lee's recordings of 'Lotus Blossom' likely refer to cannabis. Lee had also performed in the film, 'The Delinquents', in 1957. She was a major figure in Kansas City, her forte the erotically suggestive song, before her death in KC of heart attack on December 8 of 1958.

 

Sources & References:

Marv Goldberg

Wikipedia

Charts:

Music VF

Discographies:

Albums

Julia Lee

Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends

George E. Lee and his Novelty Singing Orchestra:

Musicians Local 627

Syncopated Times

Syncopated Times

Wikipedia

ZXC Wiki

Sessionographies:

Tom Lord (26 jazz-relevant sessions 1923-1957)

 

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