Vocalist, Ella Mae Morse, was quite the firecracker. She got her start with Jimmy Dorsey's Band late in 1938 while still in her teens. Some reports say she was 17, others say she was 14. Regardless, her time with Dorsey was quite short.
Morse began to make a name for herself after joining Freddie Slack's Orchestra in the early 40's. Slack and Morse recorded "Cow-Cow Boogie" and "Milkman, Keep Those Bottles", both songs became standards of the Big Band Era.
In 1943, Morse began to record solo and she even had a #1 hit in the R&B charts with her recording of "Shoo-Shoo Baby". Because Morse's musical style frequently blended jazz, blues, and country, she has sometimes been called the first rock 'n' roll singer.
Ella Mae quit recording in 1957 but continued to perform into the early 1990's. Such a unique voice and fiery personality.
Watch: "Cow Cow Boogie" by Ella Mae Morse
You can hear the vocals of Ella Mae Morse right here on Swing City Radio.
