Anna Mae Winburn ''(née'' Darden; August 13, 1913 – September 30, 1999) was an American vocalist and

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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

bandleader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a dance band, rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhyth ...

who flourished beginning in the mid-1930s. An African-American, she is best known for having directed the

International Sweethearts of Rhythm The International Sweethearts of Rhythm was an American jazz ensemble, believed to be the first racially-integrated all-female band in the United States. During the 1940s, the band featured some of the best female musicians of the day. They pla ...

, an all-female

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

that was perhaps one of the few – and one of the most – racially integrated dance-bands of the swing era. In 1944, the band was named as the country's favorite all-female orchestra in a ''

DownBeat ''DownBeat'' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1 ...

'' magazine poll.

Early life

Anna Mae Darden was born in

Port Royal, Tennessee Port Royal is an unincorporated community on the border of Montgomery and Robertson counties, Tennessee. It is home to Port Royal State Park and is located at the confluence of the Red River and Sulphur Fork Creek. History Early history Por ...

, to Andrew Jackson Darden (1881–1956) and Lula Carnell ''(maiden;'' 1882–1929), a musical family. Her family moved to

Kokomo, Indiana Kokomo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. Its population was 60,093 according to the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana metropolitan area, Kokomo metropol ...

, when she was young. She was the fourth oldest of nine siblings, with five brothers and three sisters. All three of her sisters also became performers. Winburn never finished high school but turned to music as a way to help support her large family after her mother had died.

Career

Midwestern United States

Winburn's musical career began when she entered a talent contest at the Isis Theater in Kokomo, Indiana, placing second after singing the

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 ...

song "Lovey Joe" and accompanying herself on guitar. Her first known publicized performance was singing with the white studio band of Radio

WOWO WOWO (1190 AM) – branded News/Talk WOWO 92.3 FM 1190 AM – is a commercial talk radio station licensed to Fort Wayne, Indiana, serving primarily the Fort Wayne metropolitan area. Currently owned by Federated Media via licensee Pathfinder ...

Fort Wayne Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 at the 2020 United S ...

. In the early years of her career, she also spent some time in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, singing and playing guitar in the penthouse of the Grand Terrace Ballroom at the same time that

Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...

was performing downstairs. She worked at various clubs in

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

, including the Chateau Lido in

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

, where she appeared under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

Anita Door. Winburn adopted the stage name so she could pass as Spanish, despite not knowing the language, in order to get more work than she could if club owners and customers knew she was African-American. From there she moved to

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, where she sang and played guitar for a variety of territory bands, or groups whose touring activities and popularity were geographically limited to several adjoining states. Red Perkins hired her as a vocalist for his band. From 1936 to 1937, Winburn was a collaborator of Lloyd Hunter, frequently singing for Hunter's "Serenaders". In 1938, she took the reins of the Oklahoma-based Kansas City Blue Devils, and she toured with them into 1939 as Anna Mae Winburn and the Cotton Club Boys; this group at one point included the guitarist

Charlie Christian Charles Henry Christian (July 29, 1916 – March 2, 1942) was an American swing and jazz guitarist. He was among the first electric guitarists and was a key figure in the development of bebop and cool jazz. He gained national exposure as ...

. At a time when many American male musicians were lost to the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

draft Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a v ...

, in late 1941, Winburn was hired to join the International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

International Sweethearts of Rhythm

Eddie Durham Edward Durham (August 19, 1906 – March 6, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist, trombonist, composer, and arranger. He was one of the pioneers of the electric guitar in jazz. The orchestras of Bennie Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie, ...

had been the composer for the International Sweethearts of Rhythm for two years before leaving to create Eddie Durham's All-Star Girl Orchestra. After being recommended by Jimmie Jewel, who owned North Omaha's Dreamland Ballroom, Winburn became the leader of the band in late 1941. She was reportedly hired for her attractive figure, with the intention of doing little actual composing or singing, but within a short time after joining the band, she was not only singing but also fronting the group. In the 1986 documentary film ''

'', Winburn reported of her first meeting, "I said 'What a bunch of cute little girls, but I don't know whether I could get along with that many women or not.' " The Sweethearts were immensely popular from 1940 through 1946. They had a breakout performance at

Harlem 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 ...

Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use Theater (structure), theater at 253 125th Street (Manhattan), West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of U ...

in 1941, and later that year played the

Savoy Ballroom The Savoy Ballroom was a large ballroom for music and public dancing located at 596 Lenox Avenue, between 140th and 141st Streets in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Lenox Avenue was the main thoroughfare through upper Harlem ...

. In 1942, the band toured the United States twice, performing from coast to coast primarily for African-American audiences. They participated in multiple "battle of the sexes" concerts with other prominent big bands of the time, including those of

Fletcher Henderson James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952) was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. He was one of the most prolific black musical ...

Erskine Hawkins Erskine Ramsay Hawkins (July 26, 1914 – November 11, 1993) was an American trumpeter and big band leader from Birmingham, Alabama, dubbed "The 20th Century Gabriel". He is best remembered for composing the jazz standard " Tuxedo Junction" ( ...

and

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards " I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary Peopl ...

. They broke attendance records at the Chicago Regal Theater that previously had been set by

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

and

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

. In 1944 and 1945, they were featured several times on Armed Forces Radio, which led to requests from black soldiers for the Sweethearts to be included in

USO 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 ...

tours. Starting in July 1945, the group spent six months performing in post-war France and Germany and was one of the most popular USO acts. Despite rumors of Mildred McIver being groomed to take her place, Winburn was the leader of the band until she left to get married in mid-1948. The group disbanded in 1949. Winburn formed other incarnations of the International Sweethearts for the next several years, often billing her name before the band's. While those bands were successful, they did not regain the level of popularity from the earlier years. Anna Mae Winburn and Her Sweethearts performed at the eighth

Cavalcade of Jazz The Cavalcade of Jazz events were large outdoor jazz festivals held annually between 1945 and 1958 in Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, California, U.S. They were the first such large-scale events and were produced by an African American, Leon Hefflin, ...

concert held at

Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a ballpark on the North Side, Chicago, North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charl ...

in Los Angeles on June 1, 1952. The concert was produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. and other featured artists were

Jerry Wallace Jerry Leon Wallace (December 15, 1928 – May 5, 2008) was an American country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may r ...

Toni Harper Toni Harper (June 8, 1937 – February 10, 2023), also known as Toni Dunlap, was an American former child singer who retired from performing at the age of 29. After learning dance under Maceo Anderson, Harper was cast by the choreographer Nick ...

, Roy Brown and His Mighty Men,

Louis Jordan Louis Thomas Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the King ...

Jimmy Witherspoon James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues and jazz singer. Early life, family and education Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, an ...

, and

Josephine Baker Freda Josephine Baker (; June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975), naturalized as Joséphine Baker, was an American and French dancer, singer, and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in France. She was the first Black woman to s ...

. In 1953, Winburn re-formed the group as an octet, and later tried to restart the big band. By 1956, the last version of the Sweethearts had disbanded, marking the end of Winburn's musical career.

Personal life

On January 2, 1930, Anna Mae Darden married Charles Raymond Winburn (1910–1960) in

Howard County, Indiana Howard County is one of 92 counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 83,658. The county seat is Kokomo. Originally named Richardville County, it was renamed in 1846 to commemorate General Tilghman Ashu ...

."Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007" (

FamilySearch FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization and website offering genealogical records, education, and software. It is operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is part of the Church's Family History Department (FHD). The Fami ...

– online database with images; free, but registration required)
Charles Winburn and Anna Mae Darden
January 2, 1930; citing

, FHL microfilm; Digital Folder No. 4301545; Image No. 200 In 1947, she was granted a divorce by the Howard County Circuit Court in Kokomo. In the divorce proceedings, she testified that Charles abandoned her in June 1934. In 1948, Winburn married "Duke" Pilgrim ''(né'' Eustace Michael Pilgrim; 1921–1970). They had four children between 1948 and 1956. The family lived in Elmhurst, New York.

Death

Winburn died on September 30, 1999, in

Hempstead, New York The Town of Hempstead is the largest of the three towns in Nassau County (alongside North Hempstead and Oyster Bay) on Long Island, in New York, United States. The town's combined population was 793,409 at the 2020 census. It occupies the s ...

References

External links

Photographs
International Sweethearts of Rhythm Collection Spotlight, Because of Her Story, Smithsonian Institution

Anna Mae Winburn with Maurice King

Anna Mae Winburn
at piano
Anna Mae Winburn
{{DEFAULTSORT:Winburn, Anna Mae 1913 births 1999 deaths American jazz bandleaders American jazz singers American big band bandleaders American women jazz singers Musicians from Omaha, Nebraska People from Montgomery County, Tennessee 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers People from Robertson County, Tennessee Jazz musicians from Tennessee Jazz musicians from Nebraska Jazz musicians from New York (state) People from Elmhurst, Queens International Sweethearts of Rhythm members