Sallie Blair (April 27, 1934 – February 17, 1992) was an American

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 ...

singer. She began her career performing as a band act with

Johnny Otis Johnny Otis (born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes (Greek language, Greek: Ιωάννης Αλέξανδρος Βελιώτης)); December 28, 1921 – January 17, 2012) was a Greek American singer, musician, composer, bandleader, record producer, ...

and

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

before joining

Cab Calloway Cabell "Cab" Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was a regular performer at the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he became a popular vocalist of the Swing music, swing era. His niche ...

's Cotton Club Revue. Blair recorded for

Bethlehem Bethlehem is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, located about south of Jerusalem, and the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate. It had a population of people, as of . The city's economy is strongly linked to Tourism in the State of Palesti ...

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

Scepter A sceptre (or scepter in American English) is a staff or wand held in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia, signifying sovereign authority. Antiquity Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia The '' Was'' and other ...

, and

Bell Records Bell Records was an American record label founded in 1952 in New York City by Arthur Shimkin, the owner of the children's record label Golden Records, and initially a unit of Pocket Books, after the rights to the name were acquired from Benn ...

, but she was best known for her live performances. Because of her voluptuous figure and blonde hair,

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

called her the "brown

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...

Life and career

Blair was born Sarah Bolling Mason Hutchins in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

on April 27, 1934. She was the daughter of Sarah (Pat) Mason and pro golfer Carlos Hutchins. She attended Douglass High School and began performing at 16 in 1950. Accompanied by her mother, she used the stage name Sally Blair (also spelled Sallie), while performing at local clubs such as Gamby's, the Casino, and Eddie Leonard's Spa. She performed in clubs 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 ...

and

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

before replacing an ailing act at

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

Waldorf-Astoria The Waldorf Astoria New York is a luxury hotel and condominium residence in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York. The structure, at 301 Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Street (Manhattan), 50th Streets, is a 47-story ...

. After graduation, she toured with

and

. In 1953, tired of one-nighters, she left the band business in Los Angeles to pursue a solo career. In 1956, Blair won the talent competition ''Chance of a Lifetime'' on ABC-TV hosted by

Dennis James Dennis James (born Demie James Sposa, August 24, 1917 – June 3, 1997) was an American television personality, philanthropist, and commercial spokesman. Until 1976, he had appeared on TV more times and for a longer period than any other televi ...

. She sang " Cry Me A River" and " It's Alright With Me," winning the top prize of $1,000 and a one-week engagement at the Versailles nightclub Miami. During her gig, Blair's electrifying performances captivated her audiences especially during her closing number of "

That Old Black Magic "That Old Black Magic" is a 1942 popular song written by Harold Arlen (music), with the lyrics by Johnny Mercer. They wrote it for the 1942 film '' Star Spangled Rhythm'', when it was first sung by Johnny Johnston and danced by Vera Zorina. Th ...

" when she would kick off her shoes. Celebrities who attended her shows included syndicated columnist

Walter Winchell Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and c ...

and jazz bandleader

. Calloway hired her to become the featured female vocalist in his Miami Beach Cotton Club Revue. Blair received rave reviews, but despite offers of a raise, she left the revue while they were in

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

because she "found the treatment of colored artists too objectionable to stay." Blair sang the role of Serena in the jazz version of

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

's opera ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' ( ) is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play ''Porgy (play), ...

'', released by

Bethlehem Records Bethlehem Records was an American jazz independent record label, founded by Gus Wildi in 1953. History Bethlehem is remembered for its jazz releases from the 1950s. Producers included Creed Taylor and Teddy Charles. Bethlehem released the firs ...

in 1956. In October 1956, she headlined at the Boulevard nightclub in Queens, New York before relocating to California. In Hollywood, she made her debut at the Mocambo in November 1956. Blair gained some acclaim, performing in South America, the Middle East, and Europe. She appeared in various publications, including ''Life'' magazine, ''Esquire'', ''Ebony'' and ''Jet''. She also appeared on ''

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 City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...

'' and ''Johnny Carson''. Blair released her debut album ''Squeeze Me'' on Bethlehem in 1957. In 1958, Blair headlined Donn Arden's production at New York's

Latin Quarter The Latin Quarter of Paris (, ) is an urban university campus in the 5th and the 6th arrondissements of Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine, around the Sorbonne. Known for its student life, lively atmosphere, and bistros, t ...

. That summer,

Ed Sullivan Edward Vincent Sullivan (September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American television host, impresario, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist for the ''New York Daily News'' and the Chicago Tribune New York News ...

signed her to appear on his variety show televised from the

Desert Inn The Desert Inn, also known as the D.I., was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, which operated from April 24, 1950, to August 28, 2000. Designed by architect Hugh Taylor and interior design by Jac Lessman, it was the ...

in Las Vegas from Jul 1 to 28. Blair's second album, ''Hello, Tiger!'', arranged and conducted by

Neal Hefti Neal Paul Hefti (October 29, 1922 – October 11, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger. He wrote music for '' The Odd Couple'' movie and TV series and for the ''Batman'' TV series. He began arranging professionally in hi ...

, was released on

MGM Records MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...

later in 1958. The album was chosen as one of ''Billboard'''s spotlight winners of the week (November 3, 1958): "A striking cover (featuring the sultry thrush on a tiger-skin rug) gives this package sock display value; while the canary's sexy, intimate vocalizing makes the LP's sure-fire Jockey programming. Gal shines on a group of standards and show tunes, including the infectious ' Daddy,' '

Fever Fever or pyrexia in humans is a symptom of an anti-infection defense mechanism that appears with Human body temperature, body temperature exceeding the normal range caused by an increase in the body's temperature Human body temperature#Fever, s ...

' and '

Witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

.'" Blair didn't achieve success on the charts with her records, but she gained a following for her sensual barefoot performances. While performing at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

, Blair kicked of her shoes in front of the royal family. She became more known for her voluptuous figure and her sexy stage appearance than her music. Her natural hair color was auburn, but she dyed it different colors such as platinum blonde, silver, red, green, black, and white. Early in Blair's career, the press referred to her as the "blonde bombshell," but by 1963, when she appeared at her nightclub gig at New York's Living Room, she was sporting dark brown hair and her stage persona became more sophisticated. Blair performed with

Larry Steele Larry Nelson Steele (born May 5, 1949) is a former professional basketball player, best known for being on the Portland Trail Blazers team that won the 1977 NBA Finals. Early life Born in Greencastle, Indiana, Steele grew up in Bainbridge, ...

's ''Smart Affairs'' of 1960. As her popularity waned, Blair continued to appear on TV Shows throughout the 1960s, including ''

The Danny Kaye Show ''The Danny Kaye Show'' is an American variety show, hosted by the stage and screen star Danny Kaye, which aired on Wednesday nights from September 25, 1963, to June 7, 1967, on the CBS television network. Directed by Robert Scheerer, it premie ...

'', ''Away We Go'', and ''The Rosey Grier Show''. After suffering from an illness and undergoing corrective surgery, Blair returned to Baltimore to be with her mother in 1990. Blair spent three weeks in the

intensive care unit An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensive care medicine. An inten ...

shortly before returning to her mother's apartment where she died at the age of 57 on February 17, 1992.

Personal life

In 1963, Blair married pianist and arranger René DeKnight,

widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died and has usually not remarried. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The adjecti ...

er of Freda DeKnight and formerly of

The Delta Rhythm Boys The Delta Rhythm Boys were an American vocal group active from 1934 to 1987. The group was formed at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, in 1934 by Carl Jones, Traverse Crawford, Otha Lee Gaines, and Kelsey Pharr. They moved to Dilla ...

, in

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

where DeKnight was heading his own trio. She was romantically linked to actor

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career has spanned over six decades, and he has received an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. He also received the Irving G. Thalberg Memor ...

in the late 1970s.

Discography

Studio albums

* 1957: ''Squeeze Me'' (

) * 1958: ''Hello, Tiger!'' (

)

Compilations

* 2015: ''Sallie Blair: Complete Albums And Singles 1957-1962''

Album appearances

* 1956: '' George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess'' (Bethlehem Records) *1958: ''Meet The Girls'' (AAMCO Records) * 1976: ''Bethlehem's Finest Volume 10'' (Bethlehem Records) * 2000: ''Jazz Vocal On Bethlehem'' (Bethlehem Records) * 2013: ''Love Me Or Leave Me: The Bethlehem Records Story'' (One Day Music)

Singles

* 1957: "

Ain't She Sweet "Ain't She Sweet" is a song composed by Milton Ager, with lyrics by Jack Yellen. It was published in 1927 by Ager, Yellen & Bornstein, Inc. It became popular in the first half of the 20th century and typified the Roaring Twenties. Like "Happy D ...

" / "

How Long Has This Been Going On "How Long Has This Been Going On?" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, for the musical theater, musical ''Funny Face (musical), Funny Face'' in 1927. History According to Ira Gershwin in his book ''Lyrics on Seve ...

" (Bethlehem 6009) * 1958: "

Whatever Lola Wants "Whatever Lola Wants" is a popular song, sometimes rendered as "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets". The music and words were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1955 musical play ''Damn Yankees''. The song is sung to Joe Hardy by Lola ...

" / " Daddy" (MGM 1000) * 1958: " Don'cha Go 'Way Mad" / "

When The Sun Comes Out "When the Sun Comes Out" is a song composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Ted Koehler, in 1941. It was introduced in 1941 by Helen O'Connell with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra (Decca 3657A). Barbra Streisand recording Streisand recorded ...

" (MGM 2673) * 1958: "She Serves A Nice Cup Of Tea" / "Daddy" (MGM 2725) * 1960: "More Than Anything" / "That Remains To Be Seen" ( Top Rank International 2029) * 1960: " It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" / "A Kiss A Day" ( Top Rank International 2045) * 1961: "Keep An Eye On Your Man" / "In The Still Of The Night" (

1216) * 1962: "Come By Sunday" / "Then I'll Be Tired Of You" (Bethlehem 3010) * 1971: "Let Me Come In" / "Walk, Proudly Walk" (

Bell A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...

967)

References

External links

Sallie Blair
on

IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

Sallie Blair: Barefoot Bombshell
on Bob's Whirl-A-Go-Go {{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, Sallie 1934 births 1992 deaths American women jazz singers American jazz singers 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women singers Musicians from Baltimore Singers from Maryland Jazz musicians from Maryland Bethlehem Records artists MGM Records artists Scepter Records artists Bell Records artists Nightclub performers Swing singers 20th-century American singers