Adelaide Louise Hall (20 October 1901 – 7 November 1993) was an American-born UK-based jazz singer and entertainer. Her long career spanned more than 70 years from 1921 until her death and she was a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Hall entered the '' Guinness Book of World Records'' in 2003 as the world's most enduring recording artist, having released material over eight consecutive decades."Devotees – Honours and Tributes"
(researched and compiled by Stephen Bourne), Devotional. Adelaide Hall enters ''Guinness Book of World Records'' as the World's most enduring recording artiste. She performed with major artists such as

Art Tatum Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest in his field. From early in his career, Tatum's technical ability was regarded by fellow musicians as extraord ...

Ethel Waters Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her no ...

Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...

, Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway,

Fela Sowande Chief Olufela Obafunmilayo "Fela" Sowande MBE (29 May 1905 – 13 March 1987) was a Nigerian musician and composer. Considered the father of modern Nigerian art music, Sowande is perhaps the most internationally known African composer of works ...

Rudy Vallee Rudy or Rudi is a masculine given name, sometimes short for Rudolf, Rudolph, Rawad, Rudra, Ruairidh, or variations thereof, a nickname and a surname which may refer to: People Given name or nickname *Rudolf Rudy Andeweg (born 1952), Dutch poli ...

and Jools Holland, and recorded as a jazz singer with Duke Ellington (with whom she made her most famous recording, "

Creole Love Call "Creole Love Call" is a jazz standard, most associated with the Duke Ellington band and Adelaide Hall. It entered the '' Billboard'' USA song charts in 1928 at No. 29.Fats Waller.

Early life and marriage

Adelaide Hall was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York, United States, to Elizabeth and Arthur William Hall in 1901. Adelaide and her sister Evelyn attended the Pratt Institute, where William Hall taught piano; Evelyn died of influenza in 1918, by which time her father had also died, leaving Adelaide to support herself and her mother. In 1924, Hall married the British sailor Bertram Errol Hicks, who was born in

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

. Soon after their marriage he opened a club in

Harlem, New York Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Harl ...

, called "The Big Apple" and became her official business manager.

American career 1921–1935

Hall began her stage career in 1921 on Broadway in the chorus line of

Noble Sissle Noble Lee Sissle (July 10, 1889 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer, and playwright, best known for the Broadway musical ''Shuffle Along'' (1921), and its hit song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Ea ...

's and

Eubie Blake James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote '' Shuffle Along'', one of the first B ...

's musical ''

Shuffle Along ''Shuffle Along'' is a musical composed by Eubie Blake, with lyrics by Noble Sissle, and a book written by the comedy duo Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles. One of the most notable all-Black hit Broadway shows, it was a landmark in African-Americ ...

.'' ''Shuffle Along'' became a huge hit and propelled Hall's career. She went on to appear in a number of similar black musical shows, including '' Runnin' Wild'' on Broadway in 1923, in which she sang

James P. Johnson James Price Johnson (February 1, 1894 – November 17, 1955) was an American pianist and composer. A pioneer of stride piano, he was one of the most important pianists in the early era of recording, and like Jelly Roll Morton, one of the key ...

's hit song "Old-Fashioned Love".

''Chocolate Kiddies'' European tour, 1925

In 1925, Hall toured Europe with the ''

Chocolate Kiddies The ''Chocolate Kiddies'' is a three-act Broadway-styled revue that, in its inaugural production – from May to September 1925 – toured Berlin, Hamburg, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. The show never actually performed on Broadway, but was conceived ...

'' revue. The show included songs written by Duke Ellington. Hall was hired to join the cast of the ''Chocolate Kiddies'' revue in New York, where they rehearsed before setting sail for Europe. The initial tour started at

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

, Germany, on 17 May 1925, and ended in Paris, France, in December 1925, visiting many major cities in-between. The revue was designed to give Europeans a sampling of black entertainment from New York. Included in the cast were The Three Eddies,

Lottie Gee Lottie Gee ''(née'' Charlotte O. Gee; 17 August 1886 Millboro, Virginia – 13 January 1973 Los Angeles) was an American entertainer who performed in shows and musicals during the Harlem Renaissance. She is perhaps best known as a performer ...

, Rufus Greenlee and Thaddeus Drayton, Bobbie and Babe Goins, Charles Davis and

Sam Wooding Samuel David Wooding (17 June 1895 – 1 August 1985) was an American jazz pianist, arranger and bandleader living and performing in Europe and the United States. Career Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, between 1921 an ...

and his Orchestra. After the initial tour disbanded,

and his Orchestra continued touring the ''Chocolate Kiddies'' revue for several years later. During Hall's visit to Germany she also sang at

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

's renowned transvestite club, the Eldorado Café. The venue is immortalised in Christopher Isherwood's 1939 novel ''

Goodbye to Berlin ''Goodbye to Berlin'' is a 1939 novel by Anglo-American writer Christopher Isherwood set during the waning days of the Weimar Republic. The novel recounts Isherwood's 1929–1932 sojourn as a pleasure-seeking British expatriate on the eve of Ad ...

'', as well as in the 1972 film ''Cabaret'' and the musical of the same name. In 1926, Hall appeared in the short-lived Broadway musical ''My Magnolia'', which had a score written by

Luckey Roberts Charles Luckyth Roberts (August 7, 1887 – February 5, 1968), better known as Luckey Roberts, was an American composer and stride pianist who worked in the jazz, ragtime, and blues styles. Biography Luckey Roberts was born in Philadelphia, ...

and Alex C. Rogers, after which she appeared in ''Tan Town Topics'' with songs written by Fats Waller. Hall then starred in ''Desires of 1927'' (with a score written by Andy Razaf and J. C. Johnson), which toured America from October 1926 through to September 1927.Desires of 1927' – A Riot at Elmore" (review)
''The Pittsburgh Courier'', 27 November 1926.

''Tan Town Topics'', Small's Paradise and ''Desires of 1927''

In 1926, upon Hall's return to New York after touring Europe with the ''Chocolate Kiddies'', she was featured in ''Tan Town Topics'', a revue containing songs written by Fats Waller and

Spencer Williams Spencer Williams (October 14, 1889 – July 14, 1965) was an American jazz and popular music composer, pianist, and singer. He is best known for his hit songs " Basin Street Blues", "I Ain't Got Nobody", " Royal Garden Blues", " I've Found a New ...

. The cast included Fats Waller, Eddie Rector and

Ralph Cooper Ralph Cooper (January 16, 1908 – August 4, 1992), was an American actor, screenwriter, dancer and choreographer. Cooper is best known as the original master of ceremonies and founder of amateur night at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New Yo ...

, Hall, Maude Mills, Arthur Gaines, Leondus Simmons and a dance troupe called the Tan Town Topics Vamps. The show opened at Harlem's Lafayette Theatre on 5 April followed by a short road tour on the eastern

Theater Owners Booking Association Theatre Owners Booking Association, or T.O.B.A., was the vaudeville circuit for African American performers in the 1920s. The theaters mostly had white owners, though there were exceptions, including the recently restored Morton Theater in Athens, ...

(TOBA) circuit taking in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

and

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

. During July 1926, Hall appeared in residency with Lottie Gee and the

Southern Syncopated Orchestra Southern Syncopated Orchestra (SSO), established first in the U.S. as the New York Syncopated Orchestra, was an early jazz group known for bringing Black musicians to the UK. The group was founded by Will Marion Cook. Members of the group include ...

at Small's Paradise, New York. On Tuesday, 5 October, Hall appeared again at Small's Paradise at a special party, "Handy Night", hosted by the venue to honour

W. C. Handy William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. Handy was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musici ...

and to celebrate the release of his newly published book ''Blues: An Anthology—Complete Words and Music of 53 Great Songs''. For entertainment, Hall, Lottie Gee, Maude White and Chic Collins provided a selection of jazz and blues numbers. From October 1926, Hall toured America playing the TOBA circuit until September 1927 in the highly praised show ''Desires of 1927'', conceived by J. Homer Tutt and produced by impresario Irvin C. Miller. As the ''

Pittsburgh Courier The ''Pittsburgh Courier'' was an African-American weekly newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1907 until October 22, 1966. By the 1930s, the ''Courier'' was one of the leading black newspapers in the United States. It was acqu ...

'' noted: "Adelaide Hall and assistants have some show. Speed, pretty girls, catchy music, a touch of art, which touches the border line of nudity – the names of such well-known stage celebrities as Adelaide Hall, J. Homer Tutt, Henry 'Gang' Jones, the Harmony Trio, Charles Hawkins, Arthur Porter, 'Billy' McKelvey and Clarence Nance." Billed as the star "soubrette" of the show, Hall's performance included several songs (most notably "Sweet Virginia Bliss"), flat-foot dancing and accompanying herself on the ukulele while singing.

Recordings with Duke Ellington

In New York in October 1927, Hall recorded her wordless vocals on "

Creole Love Call "Creole Love Call" is a jazz standard, most associated with the Duke Ellington band and Adelaide Hall. It entered the '' Billboard'' USA song charts in 1928 at No. 29.Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, and on November 3, 1927, Hall recorde
"''Chicago Stomp Down''"
with Duke Ellington and The Chicago Footwarmers for Okeh Records. "Creole Love Call" became a worldwide hit and catapulted both Hall's and Ellington's careers into the mainstream. For historical reasons, the story behind "Creole Love Call"s conception is interesting to recount: In 1927, Hall and Duke Ellington were touring in the same show, ''Dance Mania''. The show played several large cities before reaching

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. In mid-November, Hall travelled from

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

(where she had been performing at the Sunset Café) to

in her Packard automobile with her husband Bert. When they arrived in New York, Hall was approached in 7th Avenue by a reporter, who enquired about her career plans. Hall, however, declined to enlighten the reporter. Nevertheless, Miss Hall's reappearance in New York City garnered much speculation, as she was featured on the front pages of several newspapers, encouraging rumours she would soon be starring in a big

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

show. In the meantime, Hall and Ellington appeared together in ''Dance Mania'' at the Lafayette Theatre, Harlem, from 14 November for one week, before heading off with the show to play in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Standard Theatre. In ''Dance Mania'', Hall closed the first half of the bill and Duke and his orchestra performed in the second half. Duke had a new number "

Creole Love Call "Creole Love Call" is a jazz standard, most associated with the Duke Ellington band and Adelaide Hall. It entered the '' Billboard'' USA song charts in 1928 at No. 29.I was standing in the wings behind the piano when Duke first played it ("Creole Love Call"). I started humming along with the band. He stopped the number and came over to me and said, "That's just what I was looking for. Can you do it again?" I said, "I can't, because I don't know what I was doing." He begged me to try. Anyway, I did, and sang this counter melody, and he was delighted and said "Addie, you're going to record this with the band." A couple of days later I did. Cotton Club 1930

When Duke was recounting the incident to a reporter he explained, "We had to do something to employ Adelaide Hall," and then added, "I always say we are primitive artists, we only employ the materials at hand ... the band is an accumulation of personalities, tonal devices." On 4 December 1927, Ellington and his Orchestra commenced their residency at Harlem's

Cotton Club The Cotton Club was a New York City nightclub from 1923 to 1940. It was located on 142nd Street and Lenox Avenue (1923–1936), then briefly in the midtown Theater District (1936–1940).Elizabeth Winter"Cotton Club of Harlem (1923- )" Blac ...

in a revue called ''Rhythmania''. The show featured Hall singing "Creole Love Call". In 1928, "Creole Love Call" entered the '' Billboard'' song charts at No. 29 (USA). On 7 January 1933, Hall and Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra recorded "I Must Have That Man" and "Baby".

''Blackbirds of 1928''

In 1928, Hall starred on Broadway with

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson Bill Robinson, nicknamed Bojangles (born Luther Robinson; May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949), was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer, the best known and the most highly paid African-American entertainer in the United States during the f ...

, Tim Moore and

Aida Ward Aida Ward (February 11, 1900 – June 23, 1984) was an American jazz singer. Born in Washington, D.C., Ward rose to fame in the 1920s and 1930s in New York, on Broadway and at Harlem's Cotton Club. She appeared alongside Adelaide Hall and Bill "B ...

in '' Blackbirds of 1928''. The show became the most successful all-black show ever staged on Broadway at that time and made Hall and Bojangles into household names. ''Blackbirds of 1928'' was the idea of impresario

Lew Leslie Lew Leslie (born Lewis Lessinsky; April 15, 1888 – March 10, 1963) was an American writer and producer of Broadway shows. Leslie got his start in show business in vaudeville in his early twenties. Although white, he was the first major imp ...

, who planned to build the show around

Florence Mills Florence Mills (born Florence Winfrey; January 25, 1896 – November 1, 1927), billed as the "Queen of Happiness", was an American cabaret singer, dancer, and comedian. Life and career Florence Mills (Florence Winfrey) was born a daughter of for ...

in New York after her success in the hit London show ''Blackbirds'' but Mills died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

in 1927 before rehearsals commenced. Hall was chosen to replace her. The revue opened at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York in January 1928, under the name ''Blackbird Revue'', but it was renamed ''Blackbirds of 1928'' and in May 1928 transferred to Broadway's

Liberty Theatre The Liberty Theatre is a former Broadway theater at 234 West 42nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1904, the theater was designed by Herts & Tallant and built for Klaw and Erlanger, the partnersh ...

, where it ran for 518 performances. After a slow start, the show became the hit of the season. Hall's performance of "Diga Diga Do", created a sensation. Her mother was so incensed when she went to see the show by her daughter performing what she termed 'risqué dance moves', she tried to stop the show during Hall's performance and banned her from appearing in any future performances. The ban only remained for one performance, and Hall returned triumphantly to her role the following day. It was reported in the press of the day that the show's producer

was so concerned about race violence connected with the controversy surrounding Hall's performance that he took out a hefty insurance policy to cover the cast; the most heavily insured were the principals, Hall and "Bojangles" Robinson. It was this musical that not only secured Hall's success in the USA but also in Europe when the production was taken in 1929 to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, France, where it ran for four months at the

Moulin Rouge Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche. In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Ol ...

. When Adelaide Hall arrived in Paris from America at the Gare Saint-Lazare she was greeted by a reception of fans and reporters that was reported to be as large as the reception Charlie Chaplin had received two years earlier when he visited Paris. The French artist Paul Colin illustrated several posters to advertise ''Blackbirds'' run at the Moulin Rouge including one entitled "Le Tumulte Noir – Dancer in Magenta" that captures Hall's performance beautifully, as she is dancing and waving her arms about. An original vintage poster of Hall by Paul Colin advertising ''Blackbirds'' at the Moulin Rouge sold on 2 October 2003 at Swann Auction Galleries in New York for $167,500. In Europe, Hall rivalled

for popularity on the European stage. Vu (magazine) N°77

With ''Blackbirds''′ music score written by

Jimmy McHugh James Francis McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by many artists, including Chet Baker, Ju ...

and lyrics by

Dorothy Fields Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904 – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist and lyricist. She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films. Her best-known pieces include "The Way You Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (1936), " On t ...

, Hall's performances of the songs "

I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" is an American popular song and jazz standard by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics). The song was introduced by Adelaide Hall at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York in January 1928 in Lew L ...

", "Diga Diga Do",Theophilus Lewis
"THE DANCE THAT DAZED MOTHER – "DIGA DIGA DO"--AS DANCED BY ADELAIDE HALL—CREATES SENSATION. "STOP IT!" CRIES MAMA. "ON WITH THE DANCE" BROADWAY DEMANDS"
''The Pittsburgh Courier'', 10 November 1928. "Bandanna Babies" and "I Must Have That Man" made them into household hits, and they continued to be audience favourites throughout her long career. At the end of ''Blackbirds'' tenure at the Moulin Rouge, to thank the cast for their successful run and to welcome in the forthcoming

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...

, Lew Leslie threw a big party held in the Paris suburb of Authie and, along with the cast, invited several cultural figures including the visual artist

Man Ray Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky; August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to eac ...

, lyricist Ira Gershwin, writer

James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...

, German composer Kurt Weill, American composer

William Grant Still William Grant Still Jr. (May 11, 1895 – December 3, 1978) was an American composer of nearly two hundred works, including five symphonies, four ballets, nine operas, over thirty choral works, plus art songs, chamber music and works fo ...

and producer Clarence Robinson. A rare group photograph taken at the event, in which Hall is seated in the centre surrounded by guests including actress and music hall star

Mistinguett Mistinguett (, born Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois; 5 April 1873 – 5 January 1956) was a French actress and singer. She was at one time the highest-paid female entertainer in the world. Early life The daughter of Antoine Bourgeois, a 31-year- ...

, recently surfaced and was sold at Swann Auction Galleries, New York, for $2,640. The ''Blackbirds'' cast sailed from France back to the US in the fall of 1929 and upon their arrival almost immediately commenced a road tour of the States opening at the Adelphi Theatre, Chicago, on the evening of 26 November. It was in Chicago during December that Hall unexpectedly quit the production and hastened home to New York. Adelaide Hall c

1930: ''Brown Buddies''

Adelaide Hall and Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson in Brown Buddies, on Broadway, 1930

Speculation that Hall and

would be paired up on stage again after Hall quit ''Blackbirds'' at the end of 1929 had been rife among theatrical circles and in newspaper gossip columns. True to the speculation, in 1930, Hall and

starred together twice at New York's Palace Theatre on Broadway (in February and in August). Both appearances were for a week's engagement. During Hall's February appearance, which was her first ever appearance at the Palace Theatre, she received a roaring welcome in front of a capacity house, and took six bows at the end of her performance. It was also noted in several newspapers that

had tried everything in his capacity bar from erecting a "Rock of Gibraltar" to prevent Hall from appearing at any venue without his consent since she quit ''Blackbirds''. Having failed, Leslie did however manage to put a temporary restraint on her using any of the songs from ''Blackbirds'' in her show. So successful was Hall's collaboration with Bojangles that in October 1930, the pair were teamed up together again, this time by Marty Forkins (Bojangles' manager) to star in the Broadway musical ''Brown Buddies.'' The musical opened on Broadway at the

, where it ran for four months before commencing a road tour of the States.''Brown Buddies'' playbill
Playbill Vault. Dubbed by the press as "a musical comedy in sepia", the core of the music was composed by Millard Thomas but also featured songs by

Shelton Brooks Shelton Brooks (May 4, 1886September 6, 1975) was a Canadian-born African American composer of popular music and jazz. He was known for his ragtime and vaudeville style, and wrote some of the biggest hits of the first third of the 20th century. ...

, Ned Reed,

Porter Grainger Porter Grainger ( Granger; October 22, 1891 − October 30, 1948) was an American pianist, songwriter, playwright, and music publisher. Biography When Grainger was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Granger family name did not include an "i". A ...

, J. C. Johnson, J. Rosamund Johnson, George A. Little, Arthur Sizemore and Edward G. Nelson. After an out-of-town try-out, the musical opened on 7 October at the

, New York, where it ran a fairly solid run of 111 performances until 10 January 1931.

1931–1932: World concert tour

Adelaide Hall's first American Tour, 1931-32, concert advertised in Stevenson, Washington State, USA

In 1931, Hall embarked on a world concert tour that visited two continents (America and Europe). The tour was estimated to have performed to more than one million people. During the tour, she appeared four times at New York's Palace Theatre. She was accompanied on stage by two pianists who played white grand pianos. It was during this tour that Hall discovered and employed the blind pianist

, whom she brought back to New York with her at the end of the tour. In August 1932, Hall recorded "Strange as It Seems", "

I'll Never Be the Same "I'll Never Be The Same" is a popular song based on an instrumental called "Little Buttercup" written by Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli. After several musicians had recorded the instrumental version, lyrics were written by Gus Kahn. The co ...

", "This Time It's Love" and "You Gave Me Everything but Love" using Art Tatum as one of her pianists on the recordings. A review from 25 January 1932 of her show at the Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee in ''

The Milwaukee Sentinel The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper. It is also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely distributed. It is currently ...

'' wrote of Hall's performance:

Adelaide Hall, attractive young colored singer, dominates a vaudeville of staggering proportions. Miss Hall has the sort of "blues" voice that gets you and she has a fine dramatic sense. Her interpretation of "River Stay Away From My Door," is strikingly good. And her gowns are lovely.

1932–1933: Larchmont, Westchester County, racist incident

In the fall of 1932, upon her return to New York, Hall and her husband purchased the lease on an exclusive freehold residential estate in the Village of Larchmont in the New York suburb of

Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...

. As news of her arrival in Larchmont leaked into the local media she began to encounter racial opposition from her white upper-middle-class neighbors, who threatened court action to have Hall evicted. After her home was broken into and an attempt was made to set it alight, news of the attack hit national newspaper headlines: "What's Your Grandfather's Name? Adelaide Hall Asks White Neighbors." Receiving hundreds of letters of support from the American public imploring her to stick it out, Hall stood her ground and in a press statement she issued insisted that she was a true American citizen as her ancestry could be traced back to the Shinnecock Indian tribe of Long Island and as such she had every right to reside where she wished.

1933: Harlem Opera House, New York

For one week commencing Saturday 14 January 1933, Hall returned to New York to appear in a music revue produced by Leonard Harper at the

Harlem Opera House Harlem Opera House was a US opera house located at 211 West 125th Street, in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Designed by architect John B. McElfatrick, it was built in 1889 by Oscar Hammerstein; it was his first theater ...

. A journalist from the ''

'' newspaper who published under the initials T.Y. wrote in his review of Hall's performance that "she was excellent" and that he was so thrilled to be at the show he totally forgot to jot down on his notepad the title of the songs Hall performed. He did however apologise for this mishap. He also mentioned that Hall was accompanied on stage by a guitar "troubadour" and a blind pianist (referring to

) who, he declared, "can really play".

1933: American concert tour

Hall's itinerary included all the principal cities and lasted 30 weeks

World Fair City, Chicago, 1933

Miss Adelaide Hall, the darling girl with the guitar and the mellifluent voice, again stole into the callous hearts of an analytical public at the Regal theater last week. She charmed them with her voice, her poise and beauty. She has a style of singing ' Stormy Weather' all her own. Chicago belonged to Adelaide for one whole week. And her majesty reigned supreme.

On 19 August 1933, the fifth annual

Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic The Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic (also known as The Bud Billiken Day Parade) is an annual parade held since 1929 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bud Billiken Day Parade is the largest African-American parade in the United States of America. Held annu ...

took place during the prestigious Chicago World Fair. African Americans came out in droves to support the event held by the ''

Chicago Defender ''The Chicago Defender'' is a Chicago-based online African-American newspaper. It was founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott and was once considered the "most important" newspaper of its kind. Abbott's newspaper reported and campaigned against Jim ...

'' local newspaper. The ''Chicago Defender'' had named the event after a weekly column in its children's section written by Willard Motley. Billiken became a symbol of pride, happiness and hope for African-American youth. After the famous parade (the largest to date) a huge free picnic event was held in Washington Park that included games, music, entertainment, dancing and ice cream. Performing in concert at the event in front of an estimated 50,000 people was the parade's guest of honour Adelaide Hall. Also appearing at the event were Cab Calloway, Earl Hines and The Sioux Tribe of Native Americans.

''Stormy Weather Revue'', 1933

In a ''

'' review of the ''Stormy Weather Revue'', starring Hall in New York, dated 29 November 1933, it said that, "Although crippled from a fall into a manhole while appearing in Boston the week previous to her New York engagement, Adelaide Hall, scintillating star of the ''Stormy Weather Revue'', limps across the stage ahead of an array of stars, which go far to label this revue, about the finest to grace the boards," review taken from the

. In October 1933, for the first time in history, the entire floor revue from Harlem's

went on tour, playing theatres in principal cities across the U.S. Irving Mills organised the tour and Hall headlined the cast. Other performers on the bill included the

Mills Blue Rhythm Band The Mills Blue Rhythm Band was an American big band active during the 1930s. The band was formed in New York City, United States, in 1930 by drummer Willie Lynch as the Blue Rhythm Band, and then briefly operated as the Coconut Grove Orchestra. ...

and George Dewey Washington. The revue was originally called ''The Cotton Club Parade of 1933'', but for the road tour it was changed to the ''Stormy Weather Revue''. As the name implies, the show contained the hit song " Stormy Weather", written by Harold Arlen and

Ted Koehler Ted L. Koehler (July 14, 1894 – January 17, 1973) was an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. Life and career Koehler was born in 1894 in Washington, D.C. He started out as a photo-engraver, but w ...

, which had been introduced by

earlier that year at the Cotton Club in the ''Cotton Club Parade of 1933''.

1934: Apollo Theater, Harlem, ''Chocolate Soldiers'' revue

''Chocolate Soldiers'' opened at the new Apollo Theater, Harlem, starring Hall in Harlem, New York, 14 February 1934. The show was produced by Clarence Robinson and garnered great attention and acclaim, helping to establish the recently opened Apollo as Harlem's premier theatre.

''The Cotton Club Parade'', 1934

On 23 March 1934, Hall opened at Harlem's

in ''The Cotton Club Parade'' 24th Edition. It was the largest grossing show ever staged there. The show ran for six months at the Cotton Club. In the show Hall introduced the songs " Ill Wind" and "Primitive Prima Donna", which Harold Arlen and

wrote especially for her. It was during Hall's rendition of " Ill Wind" that nitrogen smoke was used to cover the floor of the stage. It was the first time such an effect had ever been used on a stage and caused a sensation. So successful was the show, the entire production went on a roadtour playing in theatre's across America. Adelaide Hall - Cotton Club Revue of 1934, Loew's Metropolitan Theater, Brooklyn, 6 September 1934, (Advertisment)

Adelaide Hall - Cotton Club Revue of 1934, Loew's Metropolitan Theater, Brooklyn, 6 September 1934, (Advertisment)

1935: North and South American concert tour

During 1935, Hall performed another coast-to-coast American/Canadian concert tour that took in the South. Prior to the tour commencing she gave an interview (during her visit to

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cover ...

), conducted by the journalist George Tyler that was published on 16 March 1935 in ''The Afro-American'' newspaper. In the interview Hall gives a rare insight into her life and her home in the Village of Larchmont, disclosing how dramatically her circumstances had changed since her humble upbringing in Harlem. Tyler adds that the singing star owns and drives her car, roller skates, swims, plays tennis and enjoys horseback riding.

"When I retire from public life I shall resume my career as a modiste," confided Miss Hall. "As a kid I longed for a stage career, and my first step towards this was to run away from school to try my luck behind the footlights. I was apprehended and sent back to school to continue my training as a modiste. Today, I am proud that I am more than an actress".

Tyler continues by asking about her forthcoming American and Canadian concert tour, which will take her deep into the South: "What do you think of such a tour, under the conditions that exist in the South?" Hall replied:

My experience of a couple of years ago while on a coast-to-coast tour should serve me well. Being a member of the oppressed race, I think I will be able to accustom myself to conditions, as they exist. However, there are many details I would rather not go into.

In the summer of 1935, Miss Hall had a regular slot on the New York radio station WNCA performing every Monday and Wednesday evening at 9 PM (New York time).

European career, 1935–1938

Hall arrived in Paris, France in the fall of 1935 and remained living there until 1938. Her husband Bert opened a nightclub for her in Paris, situated at 73 rue Pigalle in

Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...

, called ''La Grosse Pomme'' where she frequently entertained. "It (the club) held about two hundred people. I made this dramatic entrance coming down a spiral staircase from the attic. Nobody knew that all the boxes of wine and tinned food were stored up there with me. I came down the stairs in the most gorgeous costumes you'll ever see, floating in feathers and plumes," recalled Hall during an interview. The

Quintette du Hot Club de France The Quintette du Hot Club de France ("The Quintet of the Hot Club of France"), often abbreviated "QdHCdF" or "QHCF", was a jazz group founded in France in 1934 by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli and active in one form ...

were one of the house bands Hall's husband Bert hired at the club. At the beginning of 1936, Hall starred in the ''Black and White Revue''. The show of 50 performers opened in Paris, France and in February the production travelled to Switzerland for a tour. The revue was produced by

Ralph Clayton Ralph Darrell Clayton (born September 29, 1958) is a former professional American football player. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Clayton played college football as a " wingback" for the University of Michigan from 1976 to 1979 and was the leading ...

, staged by Arthur Bradley and choreographed by ballet master Albert Gaubier who had danced under the direction of

Serge Diaghilev Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev ( ; rus, Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев, , sʲɪˈrɡʲej ˈpavləvʲɪdʑ ˈdʲæɡʲɪlʲɪf; 19 August 1929), usually referred to outside Russia as Serge Diaghilev, was a Russian art critic, pa ...

in the Russian company '' Ballets Russes''. The orchestra that travelled with the production was under the direction of Henry Crowder. During the August 1936 Summer Olympics held in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, Hall appeared at Berlin's Rex Theatre singing jazz. Her performance is notable for her contravening

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

's ban on jazz music being played. In 1937, Hall choreographed her own take on the famous French dance the Can-can; she called it the Canned Apple and would perform it at her Montmartre nightclub ''La Grosse Pomme''. Hall is also credited with introducing the Truckin' dance craze to the Parisians. During her residence in Europe, Hall sang with several orchestras, including those of

Willie Lewis William T. Lewis ''(né'' Willie Meria Tawlton Lewis; 10 June 1905 – 13 January 1971) was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. Career Lewis was born Cleburne, Texas, United States. He grew up in Dallas and played in variety shows as ...

and

Ray Ventura Raymond Ventura (16 April 1908, Paris, France – 29 March 1979, Palma de Mallorca, Spain) was a French jazz pianist and bandleader. He helped popularize jazz in France in the 1930s. His nephew was singer Sacha Distel. Career Ventura was born to ...

; in 1937 (while on a trip to

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

), she recorded four songs with Kai Ewans and his Orchestra for the Tono record label. On 13 May 1938,

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...

broadcast ''Over to Paris'', an hour-long programme direct from a Paris studio that highlighted a variety of famous Parisian artists of radio, cabaret and the music hall. The show included performances from Hall and

, who were accompanied by two orchestras.

Move to London, 1938

British career, 1938–1993

After many years performing in the US and Europe, Hall went to the United Kingdom in 1938 to take a starring role in a stage-adapted musical version of

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was a war correspondent during th ...

's ''The Sun Never Sets'' at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...

."Hall, Adelaide (1901–1993), Actor, Singer"
BFI ScreenOnline. She was so successful and became so popular with British audiences that she stayed and made her home there, becoming one of the most popular singers and entertainers of the time. Hall lived in London from 1938 until her death. On 28 August 1938, Hall recorded "

I Can't Give You Anything But Love "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" is an American popular song and jazz standard by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics). The song was introduced by Adelaide Hall at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York in January 1928 in Lew ...

" and " That Old Feeling" at London's Abbey Road Studios, with Fats Waller accompanying her on the organ. The recordings were released on

HMV Records His Master's Voice (HMV) was the name of a major British record label created in 1901 by The Gramophone Co. Ltd. The phrase was coined in the late 1890s from the title of a painting by English artist Francis Barraud, which depicted a Jack Russ ...

. On 10 September 1938, she appeared in ''Broadcast To America'' with Waller at London's St George's Hall in a live transatlantic radio broadcast.Ken Dryden
"Fats Waller: Fats Waller on the Air 1938 Broadcasts (2009)"
including duets with Adelaide Hall. AllAboutJazz, 7 April 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2014. On 25 February 1939,

BBC TV BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 19 ...

broadcast ''Harlem in Mayfair'' from Hall's London nightclub, the Old Florida Club. The cabaret show starred Hall; also on the bill were Esther and Louise, Eddie Lewis, and

with his Negro Choir and Orchestra.

Leonard Feather Leonard Geoffrey Feather (13 September 1914 – 22 September 1994) was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer, who was best known for his music journalism and other writing. Biography Feather was born in London, England, into an u ...

"Don't Call Them Crooners: 4 – Adelaide Hall" (interview)
''Radio Times'', 17 February 1939, p. 15. Includes a photograph of Hall and mentions performers with whom she had recorded and performed, including Rudy Vallee. On 20 May 1939, BBC TV broadcast the cabaret show ''Dark Sophistication'', starring Hall performing at the Old Florida Club. On 26 August 1939, Hall took part in the BBC TV production ''Kentucky Minstrels'', which was transmitted live from the 2500-seat RadiOlympia Theatre in London. Radiolympia Thursday 31 August 1939 Kentucky Minstrels show starring Adelaide Hall

Radiolympia Thursday 31 August 1939 Kentucky Minstrels show starring Adelaide Hall

On Friday, 1 September 1939, Hall was scheduled to appear at 9:00 pm in a live BBC TV broadcast titled ''Variety'' recorded direct from the RadiOlympia Theatre. Other performers on the bill included Nosmo King, The Gordon RadiOlympia Girls, Hubert Murray and Mooney, and Bobby Howell and his Band. However, with war looming, the BBC were instructed by the government to shut down broadcasting, and at 12:35 the service went off the air for seven years. It appears that the show ''Variety'' never took place at RadiOlympia; ''The Times'' newspaper for the following day (2 September) noted in their section 'News in Brief' that "RadiOlympia closed at 12:30 yesterday", presumably another result of the country being placed on a war footing. Unexpectedly, the show ''Variety'' became one of the first British theatrical casualties of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and part of the mystery surrounding "what really happened at the BBC on 1 September 1939?" That year, Hall became a featured vocalist with

Joe Loss Sir Joshua Alexander "Joe" Loss (22 June 1909 – 6 June 1990) was a British dance band leader and musician who founded his own eponymous orchestra. Life Loss was born in Spitalfields, London, the youngest of four children. His parents, Isr ...

& His Band and from 1939 to 1941, Hall headlined the popular BBC Radio variety show ''Piccadixie''. She also toured the UK extensively during these years, headlining the ''Piccadixie British Tour'', supported by comedian

Oliver Wakefield Oliver Wakefield (29 May 1909 – 30 June 1956) was a popular British actor and comedian, born in South Africa, who was active from the 1930s until his death in 1956. Often billed as "The Voice of Inexperience", Wakefield is best known for h ...

and pianist George Elrick. During the war, Hall entertained the troops in Europe for the USO (

United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

Inc.) and the British equivalent ENSA ( Entertainments National Service Association) in which she served as a captain. Her uniform was made by Madam Adele of Grosvenor Street in Mayfair, London. The First World Radio Broadcast, 17 October 1939. On 17 October 1939 Adelaide Hall starred in one of the most sensational live radio broadcasts ever attempted by the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

to hit the airwaves. It took place at the

RAF Hendon Hendon is an urban area in the Borough of Barnet, North-West London northwest of Charing Cross. Hendon was an ancient manor and parish in the county of Middlesex and a former borough, the Municipal Borough of Hendon; it has been part of Grea ...

base in North London, in front of a specially invited audience of RAF personnel, and was the first large-scale variety concert organised by

ENSA The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, ...

. The whole show was relayed worldwide across the airwaves, the first time a live show had ever been broadcast by the BBC around the globe. On the bill was Hall, her accompanist

Mantovani Annunzio Paolo Mantovani (; 15 November 1905 – 29 March 1980) was an Anglo-Italian conductor, composer and light orchestra-styled entertainer with a cascading strings musical signature. The book ''British Hit Singles & Albums'' sta ...

and His Orchestra,

The Western Brothers The Western Brothers were an English people, English music hall and radio act, who were popular from the 1930s to the late 1950s, performing self-written topical songs which often lampooned the upper classes. Kenneth Alfred Western (10 Septembe ...

, and

Harry Roy Harry Roy (12 January 1900 – 1 February 1971) was a British dance band leader and clarinet player from the 1920s to the 1960s. He performed several songs with suggestive lyrics, including " My Girl's Pussy" (1931), and " She Had to Go and Lose ...

and his Band. Hall later recalled in vivid detail the challenges she faced during WWII while entertaining the troops across Europe and in the UK, some of whom were wounded: "Sometimes I had to sing without music, but it was a challenge, and so rewarding to get all the people to sing with me." At one London performance Hall gave at Lewisham Hippodrome theatre during the week of 20 August 1940, the Luftwaffe attacked overhead, dropping bombs and, "even though we could hear bombs exploding outside the theatre, we carried on ... I had sung 54 songs until the all-clear sounded at 3:45 a.m. in the morning!"Stephen Bourne
"When Adelaide Hall Went to War"
3 April 2005. WW2 People's War, BBC Archive. Hall's 54 encores are believed to be a world record for the amount of encores sung by one artist on stage. Hall also claimed to be one of the first entertainers to enter

before the war had officially ended. She travelled with the troops as they advanced towards

, dismissing the dangers such bravery entailed. Hall's career was almost an uninterrupted success. She made more than 70 records for

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...

, had her own BBC Radio series, ''Wrapped in Velvet'' (making her the first black artist to have a long-term contract with the BBC), and appeared on the stage, in films, and in nightclubs (of which she owned her own in New York, London and Paris). In the 1940s, and especially during World War II, she was hugely popular with civilian and Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) audiences and became one of Britain's highest paid entertainers. Her London nightclub The Old Florida Club owned by Hall and her husband was destroyed by a landmine during an air raid in 1939. Her husband Bert was in the club's cellar when the landmine exploded but he survived the attack. Hall has a cameo appearance as a singer in the 1940

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

-winning movie '' The Thief of Bagdad'' (directed by

Michael Powell Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company The Archers, they together wrote, produced and directed a seri ...

(and others) and produced by

Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)Miklós Rózsa Miklós Rózsa (; April 18, 1907 – July 27, 1995) was a Hungarian-American composer trained in Germany (1925–1931) and active in France (1931–1935), the United Kingdom (1935–1940), and the United States (1940–1995), with extensi ...

. In 1943, Hall featured in an ENSA radio show broadcast by the BBC entitled ''Spotlight on the Stars'' during which she was accompanied by the BBC Variety Orchestra. During the show she mentions how she had just returned home from a tour. On 20 May 1940, Hall's recording of 'Careless' debuted in the British charts at number 30, where it remained for two consecutive weeks. In the August 1940 issue of British ''

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

'' magazine, a photograph of Hall appears on the 'Spotlight' page compiled by the features editor

Lesley Blanch Lesley Blanch, MBE, FRSL (6 June 1904, London – 7 May 2007, Garavan near Menton, France) was a British writer, historian and traveller. She is best known for '' The Wilder Shores of Love'', about Isabel Burton (who married the Arabist and ex ...

under the caption: "Adelaide Hall and her husband run the Florida. His show, her songs, our fun." On 6 June 1945, Hall's recording of "There Goes That Song Again" entered the BBC British charts at number 15. Hall appears in the earliest post-war BBC telerecording: a live recording of her performance at RadiOlympia Theatre on 7 October 1947. The footage was filmed on the "Cafe Continental" stage set at the theatre for a

show titled '' Variety in Sepia''. Hall sings "

Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep) "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)" is a popular song written by Mack David, Jerry Livingston, and Al Hoffman, and published in 1947. Background The lyrics are intended to sound like Italian non-sense, cooed to a baby as a lullaby. Pe ...

" and "

" and accompanies herself on ukulele and dancing. When the show was broadcast on BBC TV it was 60 minutes in length and included performances from

Winifred Atwell Una Winifred Atwell (27 February or 27 April 1910 or 1914There is some uncertainty over her date and year of birth. Many sources suggest 27 February 1914, but there is a strong suggestion that her birthday was 27 April. Most sources give her ye ...

Evelyn Dove Evelyn Mary Dove (11 January 1902 – 7 March 1987) was a British singer and actress, who early in her career drew comparisons with Josephine Baker. Of Sierra Leone Creole and English parentage, Dove is recognized as a "trailblazing performer": ...

Cyril Blake Cyril "Midnight" Blake (22 October 1900 – 3 December 1951) was a Trinidadian jazz trumpeter. Biography Blake moved to England about 1918, where he played in a British group called the Southern Syncopated Orchestra. He worked in Paris and Lon ...

and his Calypso Band, Edric Connor and

Mable Lee Mable Lee (August 2, 1921 – February 7, 2019), sometimes spelled Mabel Lee, was an American jazz tap dancer, singer, and entertainer. Lee appeared on Broadway, at the Apollo Theater, and was known as "Queen of the Soundies" due to her numerous ...

and was produced by Eric Fawcett. The six-minute footage of Hall is all that survives of the show. In 1948, Hall appeared in a British movie called ''A World is Turning''. The movie was intended to highlight the contribution of black men and women to British society at a time when they were struggling for visibility on the screens. Filming appears to have been halted due to the director's illness and only six reels of rushes remain, including scenes of Hall rehearsing songs such as " Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and " The Gospel Train" (a traditional African-American spiritual first published in 1872 as one of the songs of the

Fisk Jubilee Singers The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an African-American '' a cappella'' ensemble, consisting of students at Fisk University. The first group was organized in 1871 to tour and raise funds for college. Their early repertoire consisted mostly of traditio ...

). In 1949, Hall appeared on the BBC TV shows ''Rooftop Rendezvous'' and ''Caribbean Carnival''. That year, Hall recorded five spirituals accompanied by the pianist Kenneth Cantril. The five songs chosen and released by London Records (the US outlet for British Decca) were " Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "Bye and Bye", " Nobody Know De Trouble I've Seen", "

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child", also "Motherless Child", is a traditional Spiritual. It dates back to the era of slavery in the United States. An early performance of the song was in the 1870s by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. "Blue Ge ...

", and " Deep River". In 1951, Hall appeared as a guest in the music spot on the first ever British comedy series ''How Do You View'', starring

Terry-Thomas Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 19118 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members of t ...

and written by Sid Colin and Talbot Rothwell. On 29 October 1951, Hall appeared on the bill of the Royal Variety Performance at the

Victoria Palace Theatre The Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station. The structure is categorised as a Grade II* listed building. History Origins The theatre began life as a small conc ...

in the presence of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Alongside Trinidad-born US dancer

Pearl Primus Pearl Eileen Primus (November 29, 1919 – October 29, 1994) was an American dancer, choreographer and anthropologist. Primus played an important role in the presentation of African dance to American audiences. Early in her career she saw the n ...

and the female members of her company, who also performed that year, Hall was the first black female artiste to ever take part in the Royal Variety Performance. Hall also entertained at private parties for the

Duchess of Kent Duchess of Kent is the principal courtesy title used by the wife of the Duke of Kent. There have been four titles referring to Kent since the 18th century. The current duchess is Katharine, the wife of Prince Edward. He inherited the dukedom ...

, the Churchills, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. She was one of the many performers at an all-star midnight Anglo-American gala at the

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the London Coliseum Theatre ...

on the night of Monday, 11 December 1951, before the then Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. Also on the bill was Frank Sinatra,

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

, and Noël Coward. In the early 1950s, Hall and her husband Bert opened the Calypso Club in Regent Street, London, and Royalty flocked there. It was reported in the press that Princess Elizabeth was a frequent visitor and that Hall had taught the princess the Charleston. Hall appeared in the 1951 London run of ''

Kiss Me, Kate ''Kiss Me, Kate'' is a musical written by Bella and Samuel Spewack with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and the conflict on and off-stag ...

'' playing the role of Hattie, singing Cole Porter's "

Another Op'nin', Another Show "Another Op'nin', Another Show" is the opening number of Cole Porter's 1948 musical ''Kiss Me, Kate''. Sung by a band of players performing a musical adaption of Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew'', the song has become regarded as a show b ...

", and in the 1952 London musical ''

Love From Judy ''Love from Judy'' is a musical with music by Hugh Martin, lyrics by Martin and Jack Gray, and a book by Eric Maschwitz and Jean Webster. It is based on Webster's novel and play '' Daddy-Long-Legs''. The original production opened in Coventry ...

''Caricature of Adelaide Hall in her role as Butterfly in ''Love From Judy''
drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad held in the V&A Collection Archive. at the

Saville Theatre ODEON Covent Garden is a four-screen cinema in the heart of London's West End. Formerly known as The Saville Theatre, a former West End theatre at 135 Shaftesbury Avenue in the London Borough of Camden. The theatre opened in 1931, and became a ...

playing the role of Butterfly, singing "A Touch of Voodoo", "Kind to Animals" and "Ain't Gonna Marry". The entire production of ''

'' was filmed with the original cast and aired on

...

on 16 March 1953. In 1956, she returned to London's West End in the play ''Someone to Talk To''.Glenn Collins
"Adelaide Hall, 92, International Star of Cabaret"
(obituary, listing some of her stage performances), ''The New York Times'', 10 November 1993. In 1957, at the request of Lena Horne, Hall returned to America to appear with Horne in the musical ''

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

''. The world premiere of ''Jamaica'' took place in Philadelphia in September 1957 and transferred to Broadway on 31 October. In 1958, Hall was cast as one of the lead characters in

Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popular ...

's new musical ''

Flower Drum Song ''Flower Drum Song'' was the eighth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on the 1957 novel, '' The Flower Drum Song'', by Chinese-American author C. Y. Lee. It premiered on Broadway in 1958 and was then performed in the ...

''. On 1 April 1960, Hall appeared on the BBC TV music show ''The Music Goes Round'' hosted by John Watt. The show was an NBA TV version of the radio show ''Songs from the Shows''. On 3 March 1965, Hall appeared on BBC2 television in ''Muses with Milligan'' with

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Colonial India, where he spent his ...

and John Betjeman in a show devoted to poetry and jazz. In 1968, Hall appeared in ''Janie Jones'', a new American play written by Robert P. Hillier and directed by Peter Cotes. The cast included American actress

Marlene Warfield Marlene Warfield (born in Queens, New York (state), New York) is an American actress. Warfield has acted in films and American television. She portrayed the underground revolutionary Laureen Hobbs in the 1976 film ''Network (1976 film), Network' ...

. The play had its world premiere on 8 July at the

Manchester Opera House The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England, is a 1,920-seater commercial touring theatre that plays host to touring musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is a Grade II listed building. The Opera House is one of the mai ...

, where it ran for one week prior to its London West End opening on 15 July at the New Theatre (now the

Noël Coward Theatre The Noël Coward Theatre, formerly known as the Albery Theatre, is a West End theatre in St. Martin's Lane in the City of Westminster, London. It opened on 12 March 1903 as the New Theatre and was built by Sir Charles Wyndham behind Wyndham's ...

). Between 1969 and 1970, Hall made two jazz recordings with

Humphrey Lyttelton Humphrey Richard Adeane Lyttelton (23 May 1921 – 25 April 2008), also known as Humph, was an English jazz musician and broadcaster from the Lyttelton family. Having taught himself the trumpet at school, Lyttelton became a professional ...

. This was followed by theatre tours and concert appearances; she sang at Duke Ellington's memorial service at

St Martin-in-the-Fields St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England parish church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. There has been a church on the site since at least the mediev ...

in 1974. On 4 January 1974, she appeared on the British TV shows ''Looks Familiar'' (as a panelist) and on ''What Is Jazz'', with

. On 15 June 1976, she appeared on British TV in ''It Don't Mean a Thing''. and in 1981 appeared on the

Michael Parkinson Sir Michael Parkinson (born 28 March 1935) is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his television talk show '' Parkinson'' from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007, as well as other talk shows and programmes both in the U ...

BBC TV show ''Parkinson'' as a guest. In July 1982, Hall appeared at a Gala concert held at St Paul's Cathedral in London to celebrate the sacred music of Duke Ellington. A live recording of the concert titled ''The Sacred Music of Duke Ellington'' was filmed for a

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

TV documentary. Artists also taking part included

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birt ...

Phyllis Hyman Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Hyman is best known for her music during the late 1970s through the early 1990s, some of her most notable songs were "You Know How to Love Me" ...

Jacques Loussier Jacques Loussier (26 October 1934 – 5 March 2019) was a French pianist and composer. He arranged jazz interpretations of many of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, such as the ''Goldberg Variations''. The Jacques Loussier Trio, founded in 195 ...

, Alan Downey,

Wayne Sleep Wayne Philip Colin Sleep (born 17 July 1948) is a British dancer, director, choreographer, and actor who appeared on the BBC series '' The Real Marigold on Tour'' and ITV's '' The Real Full Monty''. Early life Sleep was born in Plymouth, D ...

Ronnie Scott Ronnie may refer to: * Ronnie (name), a unisex pet name and given name * "Ronnie" (Four Seasons song), a song by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe *"Ronnie," a song from the Metallica album '' Load'' *Ronnie Brunswijkstadion, an association football stadiu ...

Stan Tracey Stanley William Tracey (30 December 1926 – 6 December 2013) was a British jazz pianist and composer, whose most important influences were Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. Tracey's best known recording is the 1965 album '' Jazz Suite Inspi ...

and the New Swingle Singers. The concert was hosted by Rod Steiger and narrated by

Douglas Fairbanks Jr Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr., (December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000) was an American actor, producer and decorated naval officer of World War II. He is best known for starring in such films as ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937), ''Gunga Din'' (1939) a ...

. In April 1980, Hall returned to the U.S. and from 1 to 24 May, she appeared in the cast of ''Black Broadway'' (a retrospective musical revue) at the Town Hall in New York. Among other artists appearing in the show were

Elisabeth Welch Elisabeth Margaret Welch (February 27, 1904July 15, 2003) was an American singer, actress, and entertainer, whose career spanned seven decades. Her best-known songs were " Stormy Weather", " Love for Sale" and "Far Away in Shanty Town". She was ...

Gregory Hines Gregory Oliver Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and singer. He is one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. As an actor, he is best known for '' Wolfen'' (1981), '' The Cotton C ...

Bobby Short Robert Waltrip Short (September 15, 1924 – March 21, 2005) was an American cabaret singer and pianist, who interpreted songs by popular composers from the first half of the 20th century such as Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Harold ...

, Honi Coles,

Edith Wilson Edith Wilson ( Bolling, formerly Galt; October 15, 1872 – December 28, 1961) was the first lady of the United States from 1915 to 1921 and the second wife of President Woodrow Wilson. She married the widower Wilson in December 1915, during hi ...

Nell Carter Nell Carter (born Nell Ruth Hardy; September 13, 1948 – January 23, 2003) was an American singer and actress. Carter began her career in 1970, singing in the theater, and later crossed over to television. She was best known for her role as Ne ...

and John W. Bubbles of

Buck and Bubbles John William Sublett (February 19, 1902 – May 18, 1986), known by his stage name John W. Bubbles, was an American tap dancer, vaudevillian, movie actor, and television performer. He performed in the duo "Buck and Bubbles", who were the fi ...

fame. The show originally was staged at the

Newport Jazz Festival The Newport Jazz Festival is an annual American multi-day jazz music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Elaine Lorillard established the festival in 1954, and she and husband Louis Lorillard financed it for many years. They hir ...

on 24 June 1979, before it was re-assembled in 1980 and staged at the Town Hall. Following ''Black Broadway'', in June 1980, Hall took up temporary residence at Michael's Pub in New York and commenced a three-week engagement, performing three shows a night. In June 1980, she performed at the

Playboy Jazz Festival The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival is an event held in the Hollywood Bowl that celebrates jazz and features both established and up-and-coming jazz musicians. Founded in 1959 by Hugh Hefner as the Playboy Jazz Festival, it was held in Chicago but d ...

held at the Hollywood Bowl in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. Other artists on the bill included Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock,

Stéphane Grappelli Stéphane Grappelli (; 26 January 1908 – 1 December 1997, born Stefano Grappelli) was a French jazz violinist. He is best known as a founder of the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the fi ...

, Mel Tormé,

Zoot Sims John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpre ...

and Chick Corea. On 2 July 1980, writer

Rosetta Reitz Rosetta Reitz (September 28, 1924 – November 1, 2008) was an American feminist and jazz historian who searched for and established a record label producing 18 albums of the music of the early women of jazz and the blues.Martin, Douglas"Rosetta ...

organised a tribute to the ''Women of Jazz'' at

Avery Fisher Hall David Geffen Hall is a concert hall in New York City's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The 2,200-seat auditorium opened in 1962, and is the home of the New York Philharmonic. The facility, desi ...

as part of the

. Called ''The Blues is a Woman'', the program, narrated by

, featured music by Hall, Big Mama Thornton,

and

Koko Taylor Koko Taylor (born Cora Anna Walton, September 28, 1928 – June 3, 2009) was an American singer whose style encompassed Chicago blues, electric blues, rhythm and blues and soul blues. Sometimes called "The Queen of the Blues", she was known f ...

. Hall appeared at the Duke Ellington Tribute Concert at

St. Paul’s Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, in 1982, where she sang Ellington'
'Come Sunday'
Back in the States, in February 1983, Hall appeared on the bill of the 100th birthday celebration for composer

held at the Shubert Theater, New York. Unfortunately, Blake was recovering from pneumonia at the time so could not attend the event but with the aid of a special telephone hook-up to his home in Brooklyn he was able to listen to the entire two-hour show. On 5 April 1983, Hall commenced a month-long engagement at The Cookery in New York. Her accompanists were Ronnie Whyte and Frank Tate. In 1985, Hall appeared on British TV in the cast of ''Omnibus: The Cotton Club comes to the Ritz'', a 60-minute BBC documentary in which some of the performers from Harlem's Cotton Club were filmed performing at the Ritz Hotel in London, along with contemporary musicians. Also on the bill were Cab Calloway and his Orchestra,

Doc Cheatham Adolphus Anthony Cheatham, better known as Doc Cheatham (June 13, 1905 – June 2, 1997), was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader. He is also the Grandfather of musician Theo Croker. Early life Doc Cheatham was born in Nashv ...

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He work ...

and the

Nicholas Brothers The Nicholas Brothers were an entertainment act composed of biological brothers, Fayard (1914–2006) and Harold (1921–2000), who excelled in a variety of dance techniques, primarily between the 1930s and 1950s. Best known for their ...

. In 1985, Hall appeared on British TV on ''

The South Bank Show ''The South Bank Show'' is a British television arts magazine series originally produced by London Weekend Television and broadcast on ITV between 1978 and 2010. A new version of the series began 27 May 2012 on Sky Arts. Conceived, written, ...

'' in a documentary entitled ''The Real Cotton Club''. In July 1986, Hall performed in concert at the Barbican Centre, London. In October 1988, Hall presented a one-woman show at Carnegie Hall in New York. She presented the same show in London at the

King's Head Theatre The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an off-West End venue in London. It is the second oldest operating pub theatre in the UK. In 2021, Mark Ravenhill became Artistic Director and the theatre focusses on producing LGBTQ ...

(Islington) during December 1988. She is one of the very few performers to have made two guest appearances (2 December 1972 and 13 January 1991) on the

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

programme ''

Desert Island Discs ''Desert Island Discs'' is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942. Each week a guest, called a "castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings (usua ...

.'' In 1989, she appeared at London's Royal Festival Hall at the ''Royal Ellington Tribute Concert'' that included the world premiere of Ellington's ''Queen's Suite'', which was written for Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

. Other artists appearing included the Bob Wilber Band,

Tony Coe Anthony George Coe (born 29 November 1934) is an English jazz musician who plays clarinet, bass clarinet, flute as well as soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones. Career Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, Coe started out on clarinet and was self- ...

and Alan Cohen. The concert was filmed by Independent Film Production Associates. 1989 also saw Hall appear in concert at the Studio Theatre, Haymarket in Leicester. The concert was organised by composer/musician

Gavin Bryars Richard Gavin Bryars (; born 16 January 1943) is an English composer and double bassist. He has worked in jazz, free improvisation, minimalism, historicism, avant-garde, and experimental music. Early life and career Born on 16 January 1943 in ...

and sold out almost as soon as it was announced. In 1990, Hall starred in ''Sophisticated Lady'', a Channel 4 television documentary about her life broadcast on 24 July, which included a performance of her in concert recorded live at the

Riverside Studios Riverside Studios is an arts centre on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. The venue plays host to contemporary performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production. Having closed for redevelopment i ...

in London. Her final US concert appearances took place in 1992 at Carnegie Hall, in the ''Cabaret Comes to Carnegie'' series. The same year, she was presented with a Gold Badge Award from the

British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors The Ivors Academy (formerly the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors – BASCA) is one of the largest professional associations for music writers in Europe. The academy exists to support, protect, and campaign for the interests ...

. After attending the award ceremony she said: "I was so proud to be acknowledged. They said, 'You look like a Queen. You don't look more than fifty or sixty. You look so well.' I wore a sequin suit – different colours – it glittered. I must have been the oldest one there! I ate everything that came along." Adelaide Hall's Grave at Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn, New York, Terrace Hill Section, Grave 1252, March 2018

Adelaide Hall's Grave at Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn, New York, Terrace Hill Section, Grave 1252, March 2018

Death

Adelaide Hall died in the early hours of 7 November 1993, aged 92, at London's

Charing Cross Hospital Charing Cross Hospital is an acute general teaching hospital located in Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom. The present hospital was opened in 1973, although it was originally established in 1818, approximately five miles east, in central L ...

of natural causes (old age). Honouring her wish, her funeral took place in New York at the Cathedral of the Incarnation (Garden City, New York) and she was laid to rest beside her mother at the

Cemetery of the Evergreens The Cemetery of the Evergreens, also called Evergreen Cemetery, is a non-denominational rural cemetery along the Cemetery Belt in Brooklyn and Queens, New York. It was incorporated in 1849, not long after the passage of New York's Rural Cemeter ...

in Brooklyn. In London, a memorial service was held for her at St Paul's, Covent Garden (known as the "actors' church"), which was attended by many stars including

Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...

Lon Satton Lon Satton (born Alonzo Louis Lee Staton; February 11, 1927 – October 30, 2020) was an American singer and actor based in the United Kingdom. He is widely-known for originating the role of Poppa in the Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical ''Starlight ...

and

Elaine Delmar Elaine Delmar (born 13 September 1939) is a British singer and actress, with a long career in stage acting, music recording and concert performances. Born in Harpenden, she is the daughter of Jamaican jazz trumpeter Leslie "Jiver" Hutchinson. A ...

. One of the participants, TV presenter and broadcaster

, remarked during his eulogy: "Adelaide lived to be ninety-two and never grew old."

Legacy

In 2018, Hall was named by the ''

Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...

'' on a list of 14 "Inspirational black British women throughout history", alongside

Mary Seacole Mary Jane Seacole (;Anionwu E.N. (2012) Mary Seacole: nursing care in many lands. ''British Journal of Healthcare Assistants'' 6(5), 244–248. 23 November 1805 – 14 May 1881) was a British-Jamaican nurse and businesswoman who set up t ...

, Claudia Jones, Margaret Busby, Olive Morris,

Joan Armatrading Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, (, born 9 December 1950) is a Kittitian-English singer-songwriter and guitarist. A three-time Grammy Award nominee, Armatrading has also been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She received ...

Tessa Sanderson Theresa Ione Sanderson (born 14 March 1956) is a British former javelin thrower. She appeared in every Summer Olympics from 1976 to 1996, winning the gold medal in the javelin throw at the 1984 Olympics. She was the second track and field ...

Doreen Lawrence Doreen Delceita Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, OBE (''née'' Graham; born 1952) is a British Jamaican campaigner and the mother of Stephen Lawrence, a black British teenager who was murdered in a racist attack in South East London ...

Maggie Aderin-Pocock Margaret Ebunoluwa Aderin-Pocock (; born 9 March 1968) is a British space scientist and science educator. She is an honorary research associate of University College London's Department of Physics and Astronomy. Since February 2014, she has co ...

, Sharon White,

Malorie Blackman Malorie Blackman is a British writer who held the position of Children's Laureate from 2013 to 2015. She primarily writes literature and television drama for children and young adults. She has used science fiction to explore social and ethica ...

, Diane Abbott,

Zadie Smith Zadie Smith FRSL (born Sadie; 25 October 1975) is an English novelist, essayist, and short-story writer. Her debut novel, ''White Teeth'' (2000), immediately became a best-seller and won a number of awards. She has been a tenured professor ...

and

Connie Mark Constance Winifred Mark, MBE, BEM (née McDonald, previously Goodridge; 21 December 1923 – 3 June 2007) was a Jamaican-born community organiser and activist. She served as a medical secretary in the Auxiliary Territorial Service in World War ...

. Chapter 20 (titled "La Grosse Pomme") in the 2017 spy novel ''I Spy the Wolf'' by Stephen Davis is set inside Adelaide Hall's La Grosse Pomme nightclub in Pigalle,

, during March 1939. Hall was one of the major entertainers of the Harlem Renaissance. Along with Louis Armstrong, she pioneered

scat singing In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. In scat singing, the singer improvises melodies and rhythms using the voice as an instrument rather than a speaking medium. ...

and is widely acknowledged as one of the world's first

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

singers, regarded as such by

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

. Hall was the first female vocalist to sing and record with Duke Ellington. She holds the accolade of being the 20th century's most enduring female recording artist, her recording career having spanned eight decades. In 1941, Hall replaced Gracie Fields as Britain's highest paid female entertainer. In the "100 Great Records of the 1920s" Hall is at number 26 with Duke Ellington's Orchestra, singing "The Blues I Love to Sing" (Duke Ellington/Bubber Miley), Victor 21490, 1927. Influential writer Langston Hughes, in his book ''Famous Negro Music Makers'' (published by Dodd, Mead, 1955) lists individual musicians that helped develop jazz, in which he states that "jazz singers too, had not been without influence on the development of this (Jazz) music", and then includes Hall alongside Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway,

Ray Nance Ray Willis Nance (December 10, 1913 – January 28, 1976) was an American jazz trumpeter, violinist and singer. He is best remembered for his long association with Duke Ellington and his orchestra. Early years Nance was the leader of his ow ...

and Joe Carroll, Dizzy Gillespie,

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

, Alberta Hunter, Baby Cox and

, as all being outstanding jazz vocalists of their time. Hall is mentioned in the novel '' Strange Brother'' (set in New York in the late 1920s, early 1930s) written by

Blair Niles Blair Niles (née Mary Blair Rice, 1880–1959) was an American novelist and travel writer. She was a founding member of the Society of Woman Geographers. Early life and expeditions Born Mary Blair Rice, Blair was born on ''The Oaks,'' her pa ...

and first published in 1931. Published in 1998, Marsha Hunt's novel ''Like Venus Fading'' was inspired by the lives of Hall (known as the ''lightly-tanned Venus''),

and

Dorothy Dandridge Dorothy Jean Dandridge (November 9, 1922 – September 8, 1965) was an American actress, singer and dancer. She is the first African-American film star to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, which was for her performance in '' C ...

. The mesmerising effect Hall had on her audience at the

is captured in the fictionalised 2017 novel ''A Time in Ybor City'' by Ron Kase. Kase's account captures Hall's 11:00 o'clock evening performance in the Cotton Club Parade revue, at which

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

is in the audience. The account is a fictionalised account based on part fact. "When Harry Met Addie" was composed by

in 1999 (published by Schott Music Ltd., London). Bryars wrote it as a tribute to Hall and saxophonist Harry Carney. The piece was first performed at the Duke Ellington Memorial Concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on 1 May 1999, and was commissioned by the baritone saxophonist/bass clarinettist

John Surman John Douglas Surman (born 30 August 1944) is an English jazz saxophone, bass clarinet, and synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz, often using themes from folk music. He has composed and performed music for dance performanc ...

. The soprano was Cristina Zavalloni and the London Sinfonietta Big Band was conducted by

Diego Masson Diego Masson (born 21 June 1935) is a French conductor, composer, and percussionist. The son of artist André Masson and brother of the singer and actor Luís Masson, Diego Masson was born in Tossa de Mar, Spain. He studied piano and compositi ...

. Hall was loosely portrayed as the nightclub chanteuse in Francis Ford Coppola's 1984 film '' The Cotton Club''. It was Hall's husband, Bert Hicks, who suggested to Eric Bartholomew's mother that he should change his stage name to Morecambe, after the place of her son's birth, thereby christening the British comic duo

Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working ...

''Underneath a Harlem Moon'', 2013–2014

During 2013, British singer Laura Mvula revealed in a ''Blues and Soul'' interview with assistant editor Pete Lewis that her song "Sing to the Moon" (from her hit debut album '' Sing to the Moon'', RCA/Sony Music) was inspired by the 2003 biography of Hall entitled ''Underneath a Harlem Moon: The Harlem to Paris Years of Adelaide Hall'', by Iain Cameron Williams:

Well, the actual song "Sing to the Moon" came from a time when I was reading a book called ''Underneath a Harlem Moon'', which is a biography of a jazz singer called Adelaide Hall, which is basically all about how she kind of was overlooked, or probably didn't get the recognition she perhaps deserved. Plus it also talks about how she'd had a hard time growing up, because her sister – who she was very close to – had died tragically of an illness.... So anyway, there's a point in the story where she describes her close relationship with her father, which I think kind of resonated with me – where she talks about the conversations she had with him and how he used to say to her randomly 'Sing to the moon and the stars will shine', which kind of became her thing really that she just took with her everywhere.... And I don't know why, but for some reason it just struck some kind of chord with me – you know, it was just something I seemed to connect with at that time. And so because of that, it then became a saying that I liked to use myself.... So yeah, because it's become something I personally like to express, I just thought 'Sing to the Moon' would also make a good title for the album as a whole.

On 11 August 2014, Mvula released her second album, an orchestral version of ''Sing to the Moon'', and on 19 August 2014, Mvula appeared at the Royal Albert Hall as part of

The Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hal ...

season, performing the entire album ''Sing to the Moon'', accompanied by the Metropole Orkest. In 2014, " Sing to the Moon" was sampled by the American rapper

XXXTentacion Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...

and incorporated in his song "Vice City", which launched his music career.

''After Midnight'', Broadway musical 2013–2014

A new musical revue '' After Midnight'' featuring the classic music of Duke Ellington,

and

, and Harold Arlen, premiered to much praise at the

Brooks Atkinson Theatre The Lena Horne Theatre (previously the Mansfield Theatre and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 256 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1926, it was designed by Herbert ...

in New York on 3 November 2013 and was booked through to 31 August 2014. The show is an idealised fantasy of Harlem in its 1920s–1930s heyday and salutes black musicians and performers such as

, Hall, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington and the

, who became international stars during that era. At least three of the songs that Hall introduced are performed in the show, including headliner

Fantasia Barrino Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor (born June 30, 1984), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American R&B singer and actress. She rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series ''American Idol'' in ...

's rendition of "

" and Carmen Ruby Floyd's performance of Ellington and Hall's "Creole Love Call". The song "Diga Diga Do" also appears in the show.

''A Nite at the Cotton Club'', 2014

In February 2014, a new stage show called ''A Nite at the Cotton Club'', produced by Lydia Dillingham, opened at the Southern Broadway Dinner Theatre at The Historic Hildreth Brothers Building in Alabama, USA, in which the actress Brandy Davis portrays Hall. The entire run sold out.

''ASCAP 100 Years'', 2014

On 14 February 2014, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) celebrated its centenary by publishing a timeline of songs chosen to represent the past hundred years. One song was chosen to represent each year.

and

's song "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby", written for the Broadway revue '' Blackbirds of 1928'', was chosen for 1928, and Hall's recording of the song was chosen to represent the year.

''Downton Addy's'', 2020

As part of Black History Month in June 2020, '' Sherman's Showcase'' – an American musical TV comedy series created by actors Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle – portrayed Adelaide Hall in a Harlem Renaissance meets ''

Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. The series first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United States o ...

'' musical sketch titled ''Downton Addy's''. The show was aired on 19 June on stations AMC and IFC. Bashir Salahuddin played the part of

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplish ...

, Day'Nah Cooper took the role of Dowager Countess of Basie, Aleksei Archer portrayed Adelaide "Addy" Hall, and Nefetari Spencer brought Zora Neale Hurston to life. Costume designer Ariyela Wald-Cohain looked directly to the ''Downton Abbey'' movie for visual references. Critics praised it: ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' called it "the hidden gem of sketch comedy"; ''The New York Times'' said it was "irreverent", and '' Salon'' said it was "bright, accessibly silly and uproarious". ''

Collider A collider is a type of particle accelerator which brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Colliders may either be ring accelerators or linear accelerators. Colliders are used as a research tool in particl ...

'' called it "a hard show to explain but a very easy one to fall in love with". In June 2020, ''

British Vogue British ''Vogue'' is a British fashion magazine published based in London since autumn 1916. It is the British edition of the American magazine ''Vogue'' and is owned and distributed by Condé Montrose Nast. British ''Vogue'' editor in 2012 c ...

'' acknowledged Adelaide Hall in their list of "7 Remarkable Black Women Who Shaped British History".

Black Plaque awarded to Adelaide Hall, 2021

Adelaide Hall was honoured in 2021 by the Black Plaque Project, an initiative of the

Nubian Jak Community Trust Nubian Jak Community Trust (NJCT) is a commemorative plaque and sculpture scheme founded by Jak Beula that highlights the historic contributions of Black and minority ethnic people in Britain. The first NJCT heritage plaque, honouring Bob Marley, ...

, with a plaque commemorating her outstanding career and achievements in the world of entertainment. The plaque is placed in the world-renowned Abbey Road Recording Studios in

St John's Wood St John's Wood is a district in the City of Westminster, London, lying 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of Charing Cross. Traditionally the northern part of the ancient parish and Metropolitan Borough of Marylebone, it extends east to west from ...

where Hall recorded with fellow American jazz artiste and composer Fats Waller. Hall is No. 15 in the Black Plaque Project that honours the achievements throughout history of members of the UK's black community.

One Minute Theatre Top 10 People of Colour in Musicals=, 2021

In March 2021, ''1 Minute Theatre Reviews'' acknowledged Adelaide Hall in their 10 "people of colour who have made a major contribution to the stage musical".

Women Inspire Podcast, 2021

Adelaide Hall - "Sing to the moon Addie and the stars will shine." In January 2021, the ''Women Inspire'' podcast devoted an episode to the life and career of Hall, titled "Sing to the moon Addie and the stars will shine".

Discography

1927–1938

The Decca years, 1939–1945

, - !Songs !Label & Number !Release Date , - , "I Have Eyes" / "I Promise You" , Decca F-7049 , (27 April 1939) , - , " Deep Purple" / " Solitude" , Decca F-7083 , (15 May 1939) , - , "A New Moon and an Old Serenade" / "Our Love" , Decca F-7095 , (6 June 1939) , - , "

Don't Worry 'Bout Me "Don't Worry 'bout Me" is a 1938 song composed by Rube Bloom, with lyrics written by Ted Koehler. It was introduced in the "World's Fair" edition of the Cotton Club show in 1939. The first hit recording was in 1939 by Hal Kemp and His Orchestra ...

" / " 'Tain't What You Do" , Decca F-7121 , (23 June 1939) , - , "Transatlantic Lullaby" / " I Get Along Without You Very Well" , Decca F-7132 , (26 July 1939) , - , "Moon Love" / "Yours for a Song" , Decca F-7272 , (17 October 1939) , - , "Day In, Day Out"/ "I Poured My Heart into a Song" , Decca F-7304 , (8 November 1939) , - , " My Heart Belongs to Daddy" / "

Have You Met Miss Jones? "Have You Met Miss Jones?" is a popular song that was written for the musical comedy '' I'd Rather Be Right''. The music was written by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Lorenz Hart. The song was published in 1937. Background In the musical the ...

" , Decca F-7305 , (8 November 1939) , - , "Serenade in Love" / "Fare Thee Well" , Decca F-7340 , (27 December 1939) , - , "

Where or When "Where or When" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical ''Babes in Arms''. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green. That same year, Hal Kemp recorded a popular version. The song also appeared in the film version o ...

" / " The Lady Is a Tramp" , Decca F-7345 , (19 January 1940) , - , "Careless" / "Don't Make Me Laugh" , Decca F-7340 , (11 March 1940) , - , "Chloe" / "

Begin the Beguine "Begin the Beguine" is a popular song written by Cole Porter. Porter composed the song between Kalabahi, Indonesia, and Fiji during a 1935 Pacific cruise aboard Cunard's ocean liner ''Franconia''. In October 1935, it was introduced by June Kni ...

" , Decca F-7460 , (15 April 1940) , - , " This Can't Be Love" / "No Souvenirs" , Decca F-7501 , (3 May 1940) , - , "Who Told You I Cared"? / "Shake Down the Stars" , Decca F-7522 , (31 May 1940) , - , "Mist on the River" / " Fools Rush In" , Decca F-7583 , (15 August 1940) , - , " All The Things You Are" / "I Wanna Be Loved" , Decca F-7636 , (9 October 1940) , - , "Goodnight Again" / "Trade Winds" , Decca F-7678 , (12 December 1940) , - , "Our Love Affair" / "And So Do I" , Decca F-7681 , (12 December 1940) , - , "Moon for Sale" / "Yesterday's Dreams" , Decca F-7708 , (7 February 1941) , - , "Ain't It a Shame About Mame"? / "Room Five Hundred and Four" , Decca F-7709 , (7 February 1941) , - , "It's Always You" / "How Did He Look"? , Decca F-7879 , (23 May 1941) , - , "Yes, My Darling Daughter" / "The Things I Love" , Decca F-7891 , (23 May 1941) , - , "

I Hear a Rhapsody "I Hear a Rhapsody" is a 1941 pop song that became a jazz standard, composed by George Fragos, Jack Baker, and Dick Gasparre. Written in 1940, in 1941 it was a top 10 hit for three separate artists, Charlie Barnet, Jimmy Dorsey and Dinah Shore. ...

" / "Mississippi Mama" , Decca F-7918 , (3 July 1941) , - , "I Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)" / "Moonlight in Mexico" , Decca F-7942 , (7 August 1941) , - , "As if You Didn't Know" / "I Take to You" , Decca F-8030 , (5 November 1941) , - , "Minnie from Trinidad" / "Sand in My Shoes" , Decca F-8031 , (5 November 1941) , - , "Song of the Islands" / "Pagan Love Song" , Decca F-8058 , (7 November 1941) , - , "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" / "My Sister and I" , Decca F-8043 , (18 November 1941) , - , "A Sinner Kissed an Angel" / "Why Don't We Do This More Often"? , Decca F-8092 , (2 February 1942) , - , "Tropical Magic" / "Intermezzo" , Decca F-8118 , (2 February 1942) , - , "My Devotion" / "Sharing It All With You" , Decca F-8263 , (January 1943) , - , "Let's Get Lost" / " As Time Goes By" , Decca F-8292 , (1943) , - , "I Don't Want Anybody at All (If I Can't Have You)" / "I Heard You Cried Last Night" , Decca F-8362 , (6 September 1943) , - , "

Sophisticated Lady "Sophisticated Lady" is a jazz standard, composed as an instrumental in 1932 by Duke Ellington. Background Additional credit is given to publisher Irving Mills whose words were added to the song by Mitchell Parish. The words met with approva ...

" / "

I'm Getting Sentimental Over You "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" is a song recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra. The words were written by Ned Washington and the music was written by George Bassman. It was first performed in 1932. The original copyright is dated 1933 ...

" , Decca F-8467 , (4 August 1944) , - , "There Goes That Song Again" / "I'm Gonna Love That Guy" , Decca F-8517 , (3 March 1945) , -

Odeon (Argentina) 1943

, - !Songs !Label & Number !Release Date , - , "Segun Pasan Los Anos (As Time Goes By)" / "Vamos a Perdernos (Let's Get Lost)" , Odeon DR-7240/7239 , (1943) , -

London Records, ''Spirituals'', 1949

Adelaide Hall and Kenneth Cantril, ''Spirituals'', 78 rpm set , - !Songs !Label & Number !Release Date !Artist , - , - , " Nobody Know de Trouble I've Seen" / "

" , London , (1949) , Adelaide Hall and Kenneth Cantril , - , " Deep River" / "Bye and Bye" , London , (1949) , Adelaide Hall and Kenneth Cantril , - , "My Lord, What a Morning" / " Swing Low Sweet Chariot" , London , (1949) , Adelaide Hall and Kenneth Cantril , -

Columbia (EMI) – 1951

, - !Songs !Label & Number !Date !Artist , - , "Can't Help Loving That Man of Mine" / "Bill" , Columbia Gramophone Co. (EMI Records) , (11 July 1951) (recorded in London, UK) , Adelaide Hall , - , "How Many Times" / "Vanity" , Columbia Gramophone Co. (EMI Records) , (11 July 1951) (recorded in London) , Adelaide Hall , -

Oriole – 1960

, - !Songs !Label & Number !Date !Artist , - , "Bluebird on My Shoulder" / "Common Sense" , Oriole (CB 1556) , (May 1960) (recorded in London) , Adelaide Hall , -

UK singles chart entries

Filmography

* ''

A Son of Satan ''A Son of Satan'' is a 1924 silent race film directed, written, produced and distributed by Oscar Micheaux. The film follows the misadventures of a man who accepted a bet to spend a night in a haunted house. Micheaux shot the film in The Bronx ...

'' (1924) (USA) (Micheaux Film) * ''

Dancers in the Dark ''Dancers in the Dark'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film about a taxi dancer (Miriam Hopkins), a big band leader (Jack Oakie), and a gangster ( George Raft). George Raft, billed sixth, was listed much lower in the cast than the size of his role ...

'' (1932) (USA) (Hall's singing voice is used but she is uncredited) * ''On the Air and Off'' (1933) (USA short, filmed at Biograph Studios, Bronx, New York City) (

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

) * ''Broadway Varieties'' (1934) (USA short, filmed at Biograph Studios, Bronx, New York City) (

) * ''All-Coloured Vaudeville Show'' (1935) (USA) * ''The Kentucky Minstrels'' (1939 (British TV movie) * ''The Thief of Bagdad'' (1940) (UK) * ''Behind The Blackout'' (1940), British Pathé Newsreel * ''Stars In Your Eyes'' (TV series, UK) 1946-1950. * '' Variety in Sepia'' (1947) (UK) (

) * ''A World Is Turning (towards the coloured people)'' (1948) (UK) * ''Olivelli's'' (1951), British Pathé Newsreel * ''

'' (1953) TV movie. * ''

Night and the City ''Night and the City'' is a 1950 film noir directed by Jules Dassin and starring Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney and Googie Withers. It is based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Kersh. Shot on location in London and at Shepperton Studio ...

'' (1959) (UK) (role – singer – the scenes were deleted from the final edit) * ''Looks Familiar'' (9 January 1974) (ITV)Adelaide Hall Filmography (BFI)
Retrieved 26 September 2020. * ''What Is Jazz?'' (1974) (TV Documentary) * ''It Don't Mean A Thing'' (15 June 1976) * ''

Parkinson (TV series) ''Parkinson'' is a British television chat show that was presented by Michael Parkinson. It was first shown on BBC1 from 19 June 1971 to 10 April 1982 and from 9 January 1998 to 24 April 2004. Parkinson then switched to ITV on which the show c ...

'': 300th edition (1981) (BBC TV) * ''The Sacred Music of Duke Ellington'' (1982) (MGM) – recorded at St. Paul's Cathedral, London (released 1983)Adelaide Hall Filmography (BFI)
Retrieved 26 September 2020. * ''The Cotton Club Comes to the Ritz'' (1985) (A documentary with live performances at

the Ritz Hotel, London The Ritz London is a Grade II listed 5-star hotel in Piccadilly, London, England. A symbol of high society and luxury, the hotel is one of the world's most prestigious and best known. The Ritz has become so associated with luxury and elegance ...

, featuring former

performers) * ''Chasing a Rainbow: The Life of Josephine Baker'' (1986) * ''Brown Sugar'' (1986) (American TV mini-series) * ''Sophisticated Lady'' (1989) (UK) (documentary about Adelaide Hall) * ''Royal Ellington'' (1989) (live concert footage) * ''Adelaide Hall – Live at the Riverside'' (1989) (UK) (Adelaide Hall in concert)

Exhibitions

Exhibitions that feature or have featured content relating to Adelaide Hall: * ''Women and War'' – Imperial War Museum, London (2003–04). * ''Little Black Dress'' – Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton (2007). * ''Devotional'' – National Portrait Gallery, London (2007) * ''Little Black Dress'' – London Fashion Museum, London (2008). * ''Keep Smiling Through: Black Londoners on the Home Front 1939–1945'' – The Cuming Museum, London (2008). * ''Jazzonia and the Harlem Diaspora'' – Chelsea Space, London (2009). * ''The Living Archive Exhibition'' – The London Palladium (opened 2009 – on permanent display). The collection throws a spotlight on 100 years of black performers at the Palladium, such as Adelaide Hall, the Harlem Renaissance star who made her London debut at the venue in 1931. * ''Oh! Adelaide'' – Art installation, Wimbledon Space, Wimbledon College of Art, London (2010). * ''There is no Archive in which Nothing Gets Lost'' – ''Oh! Adelaide'' – Art installation – The Museum of Fine Arts, Glassell School of Art, 5101 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, America – 7 September 2012 – 25 November 2012. * ''Creole Love Call'' – Exhibition – VIERTELNEUN Gallery, 1090 Vienna, Hahngasse 14, Austria – Exhibition (25 January to 28 February 2013) – Catalogue published with the presentation. * ''The Harlem Renaissance'' – Kurá Hulanda Museum, Curaçao, Willemstad, Caribbean (2013). * ''Scat: Sound and Collaboration'' – Iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts), London EC2A 3BA (5 June – 27 July 2013). * ''Untitled'' – etching by

Sonia Boyce Sonia Dawn Boyce, (born 1962) is a British Afro-Caribbean artist and educator, living and working in London. She is a Professor of Black Art and Design at University of the Arts London. Boyce's research interests explore art as a social pract ...

. Permanent Collection, Studio Museum in Harlem, NY. In her 2006 etching ''Untitled'', Boyce pays tribute to 14 black female contributors to British music history. Performers featured in the composition include Dame Shirley Bassey, Adelaide Hall,

Millie Small Millicent Dolly May Small CD (6 October 1947 – 5 May 2020) was a Jamaican singer and songwriter who is best known for her 1964 hit " My Boy Lollipop". The song reached number two in both the UK and US charts and sold over seven million ...

and Cleo Laine. * ''Black Women in Britain'', Black Cultural Archives, 1 Windrush Square, Brixton, London SW2 1EF (24 July – 30 November 2014. * ''Rhythm & Reaction: The Age of Jazz in Britain'': Explores the emergence of Jazz in Britain and its continuing influence over the last century. Two pictures of Adelaide Hall, one by photographer

Angus McBean Angus Rowland McBean (8 June 1904 – 9 June 1990) was a Welsh photographer, set designer and cult figure associated with surrealism. Early life Angus Rowland McBean was born in Newbridge, Monmouthshire, Wales on 8 June 1904, elder child and o ...

, and another extremely rare photograph of Miss Hall taken at her Florida ( Mayfair) nightclub were on display at the exhibition, from 27 January 2018 until 22 April 2018, located at

William Waldorf Astor William Waldorf "Willy" Astor, 1st Viscount Astor (31 March 1848 – 18 October 1919) was an American-British attorney, politician, businessman (hotels and newspapers), and philanthropist. Astor was a scion of the very wealthy Astor family of ...

's mansion at

Two Temple Place Two Temple Place, known for many years as Astor House, is a building situated near Victoria Embankment in central London, England.Moore, Rowan (15 October 2011)"Two Temple Place; University of the Arts London – review Viscount Astor's stately ...

, London.

Adelaide Hall archives and photo collections

* The Indiana University Adelaide Hall Collection (1928–2003): The collection is housed at the Archives of African American Music and Culture at

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universi ...

, collection number SC 134: The collection contains photographic materials, articles, programs and ephemera related to Hall's performance career: contact: Archives of African American Music and Culture, 2805 E 10th St., Suite 180–181, Bloomington, Ind. 47408-4662. * Writer Iain Cameron Williams and Adelaide Hall's former manager Kate Greer own a private Adelaide Hall Collection, from which items have been loaned for public exhibitions. *

Alamy Alamy (registered as Alamy Limited) is a British privately owned stock photography agency launched in September 1999. Its headquarters are in Milton Park, near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. It has a development and operations centre at ...

Photo Archive: Adelaide Hall on set of the 1940

Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)''The Thief of Bagdad''.
*

The British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...

in Euston Road, London, holds a considerable archive relating to Adelaide Hall; the collection contains mainly audio, interviews, live concert tapes, and recordings, some of which are quite rare. * ''The British Lion Film Production disc'' collection (held at the

British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...

) contains music from the film soundtrack of ''

'' (1950), on which Adelaide Hall is featured. *

Detroit Public Library The Detroit Public Library is the second largest library system in the U.S. state of Michigan by volumes held (after the University of Michigan Library) and the 21st-largest library system (and the fourth-largest public library system) in the Uni ...

Digital Collection houses a portrait of singer Adelaide Hall by photographer Germaine Krull dated 1929, photographed during ''Blackbirds'' residency at the

. *

Duke University Libraries Duke University Libraries is the library system of Duke University, serving the university's students and faculty. The Libraries collectively hold some 6 million volumes. The collection contains 17.7 million manuscripts, 1.2 million public documen ...

–

Papers (1929–2008) – Adelaide Hall photograph collection series (Box 17): Rosetta Reitz Papers – Adelaide Hall Reference Materials Series (1946–2005) Box 36. * Getty Images (archive) holds several photographs of Adelaide Hall including one of her singing "There's Something in the Air" at her Mayfair nightclub (the Florida Club) in

, circa. 1945 and an extremely rare picture of Miss Hall performing in concert circa.1930, and a portrait photograph of Miss Hall by John D. Kisch circa. 1934. * The Al Hirschfeld Foundation holds two caricatures of Adelaide Hall by the artist Al Hirschfeld, one dated 1928. and the other dated 1929. * The Robert Langmuir African American Photograph Collection,

Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Adelaide Hall
* ''The David Lund Collection'' held at the British Library contains live audio recordings of Adelaide Hall in concert with The Alan Clare Trio and John McLeary performing at the

University College School ("Slowly but surely") , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent day school , religion = , president = , head_label = Headmaster , head = Mark Beard , r_head_label = , r_he ...

Theatre, Hampstead, London. *

Millersville University Millersville University of Pennsylvania (commonly known as Millersville University, The Ville, or MU) is a public university in Millersville, Pennsylvania. It is one of the fourteen schools that comprise the Pennsylvania State System of Higher E ...

Special Collection: Adelaide Hall, File – Box: 4, Folder 21, 1929 photograph of Miss Hall by Walery (aka

Stanisław Julian Ignacy Ostroróg Stanisław Julian Ignacy Ostroróg (also known as ''Walery'', ''Stanislas Waléry'', ''Lucien Waléry'', and ''Laryew'', born 12 September 1863 – 24 February 1929) was a Polish photographer active in London and Paris between 1890 and 1929. Aft ...

). * Museo Alinari Image (AIM), museum, Trieste, Italy, hold two portrait photographs of Adelaide Hall ca. 1925–29. * The National Jazz Archive (UK) holds a significant collection of magazines and newspapers containing articles and reports documenting Adelaide Hall's career dating from the 1930s to 1990s. * National Portrait Gallery, London (Archive) holds two Adelaide Hall portraits from the 1940s. * NYPR Archive Collections, New York Public Library, hold a live recording of Adelaide Hall captured in concert in New York in the early-1990s. * Smithsonian �
Adelaide Hall
portrait – ''Le Tumulte Noir'' / Dancer in Magenta by Paul Colin, 1929, Paris, at the Smithsonian, National Portrait Gallery Collection,

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

* The

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

( V&A), South Kensington,

, holds a watercolour caricature of Adelaide Hall by Gilbert Sommerlad, dated 12 May 1954, drawn during Hall's starring role in the musical ''Love from Judy'', plus various posters relating to Miss Hall's career, and a cotton souvenir headscarf containing a printed portrait of Adelaide Hall ca.1930s–50s.
Yale University Archives
Adelaide Hall –

correspondence, etc., (dated 1976-1979) part of the Henry Hurford Janes – Josephine Baker Collection at Yale University Archives, Box: 2, Folder: 77. *

Yale University Library The Yale University Library is the library system of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Originating in 1701 with the gift of several dozen books to a new "Collegiate School," the library's collection now contains approximately 14.9 mill ...

–

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library () is the rare book library and literary archive of the Yale University Library in New Haven, Connecticut. It is one of the largest buildings in the world dedicated to rare books and manuscripts. Es ...

: Rare Adelaide Hall photographs by Carl Van Vechten taken of Miss Hall performing on stage during her 1931/1932 World Tour at the Palace Theatre, Times Square, New York. * Yale University Library – Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library: Adelaide Hall publicity photographs collected by writer and photographer Carl Van Vechten.

Sources

Ian Carr Ian Carr (21 April 1933 – 25 February 2009) was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator. Carr performed and recorded with the Rendell-Carr quintet and jazz-fusion band Nucleus, and was an associate professor at the Guildhall ...

Digby Fairweather Richard John Charles "Digby" Fairweather (born 25 April 1946) is a British jazz cornetist, author and broadcaster. Biography Before becoming a professional musician, Fairweather was a librarian and has retained an interest in jazz bibliograph ...

and

Brian Priestley Brian Priestley (born 10 July 1940)Many sources list Priestley's year of birth as 1946, but this is inaccurate. See Priestley's entry in ''The Rough Guide to Jazz'' anon his revised Charlie Parker study. is an English jazz writer, pianist and a ...

. ''Jazz: The Rough Guide''. * Iain Cameron Williams
''Underneath A Harlem Moon''
Continuum, 2002,

References

External links

* * Lucy Shacklock

African Stories in Hull & East Yorkshire.
''A Cabaret Moment'' starring Adelaide Hall
features a live recording of Hall in concert in New York in the early 1990s. The program was aired on 13 May 1990 on WNCA Radio, and was presented by Don Smith on his radio show ''Cabaret Night''. WNYC, New York City (retrieved 26 September 2020)
Adelaide Hall (on WNYC Radio)
A Cabaret Moment starring Adelaide Hall, hosted by Donald F. Smith. WNYC archives id: 225027. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Adelaide 1901 births 1993 deaths 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American dancers 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century English singers African-American actresses African-American dancers African-American female dancers American emigrants to England American emigrants to the United Kingdom American female dancers American gospel singers American jazz singers American musical theatre actresses American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent American stage actresses American tap dancers American women jazz singers British women jazz singers Burials at the Cemetery of the Evergreens Cabaret singers Columbia Records artists Dancers from New York (state) Decca Records artists Entertainments National Service Association personnel Harlem Renaissance Jazz musicians from New York (state) Music hall performers Musicians from Brooklyn People from Brooklyn People of Montmartre RCA Victor artists Scat singers Singers from London Singers from New York City Torch singers Traditional pop music singers Vaudeville performers