Ruby Hill Turner (1922 – 2004) was an American singer who starred in the 1946 Broadway production ''

St. Louis Woman ''St. Louis Woman'' is a 1946 American musical theatre, musical by Arna Bontemps and Countee Cullen with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer (lyrics). The musical opened at the Martin Beck Theatre in New York on March 30, 1946, an ...

''. She performed the hit songs " Come Rain or Come Shine" and ''

Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" is a popular song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was first introduced in 1946 in the musical '' St. Louis Woman''. In the musical, the song was sung by a female character of easy virtu ...

'' for more than 100 showings. Capitol Records recorded her. She featured in the 1947 musical compilation film '' Ebony Parade'' made using archival clips. She performed at New York City's Cotton Club and the

Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night ...

Life and career

She was born in

Danville, Virginia Danville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, located in the Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River. It was a center of tobacco production and was an area of Confederate activity ...

. The young singer who was a reportedly a high school student in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

before being discovered and cast in the show was fired in a reorganization, but

Pearl Bailey Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer and author. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in '' St. Louis Woman'' in 1946. She received a Special Tony Award for the title role i ...

led the ''St Louis Woman'' cast in a promised strike unless Hill was rehired. After 113 performances the show closed. She left show business for 5 years, performing some smaller venues, eventually relating that her management was trying to shape her into a

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...

cast. A film adaption of ''St. Louis Woman'' entered into production with Hill reprising her role, but was eventually scrapped. A different account of her life describes her moving to New York City in 1939 and marrying. The slight young singer who ''Jet'' described as doll like was married to Robert Turner.

Life and career

References

See also