Mildred Bailey
Mildred Bailey (born Mildred Rinker; February 27, 1907 – December 12, 1951) was a Native American jazz singer during the 1930s, known as "The Queen of Swing", "The Rockin' Chair Lady" and "Mrs. Swing". She recorded the songs "For Sentimental Reasons", "It's So Peaceful in the Country", "Doin' The Uptown Lowdown", "Trust in Me", "Where Are You?", "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart", "Small Fry", "Please Be Kind", "Darn That Dream", "Rockin' Chair", "Blame It on My Last Affair", and "Says My Heart". She had three records that reached number one on the popular charts. She grew up on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation in Idaho, where her mother was an enrolled member. The family moved to Spokane, Washington when she was 13. Her younger brothers also became musicians. Her brother, Al Rinker, started to perform as a singer with Bing Crosby in Spokane and became a member of The Rhythm Boys. As adults, Charles Rinker was a lyricist, and Miles Rinker was a clarinet and saxophone player who later became a booking agent. |
Birth and Death Data: Born February 27, 1907 (Tekoa), Died December 12, 1951 (Poughkeepsie)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1950
Roles Represented in DAHR: soprano vocal, songwriter
Notes: Sister of vocalist Al Rinker.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 54 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Columbia | W152703 | 10-in. | 2/2/1934 | Ol' Pappy | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
Columbia | W152704 | 10-in. | 2/2/1934 | Emaline | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
OKeh | W403031 | 10-in. | 10/5/1929 | What kind o' man is you? | Mildred Bailey ; Eddie Lang's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
Brunswick | E37158 | 10-in. | 9/15/1931 | Blues in my heart | Mildred Bailey ; Casa Loma Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
Brunswick | E37159 | 10-in. | 9/15/1931 | You call it madness (But I call it love) | Mildred Bailey ; Casa Loma Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
Brunswick | E37160 | 10-in. | 9/15/1931 | When it’s sleepy time down South | Mildred Bailey ; Casa Loma Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
Brunswick | E37161 | 10-in. | 9/15/1931 | Wrap your troubles in dreams (And dream your troubles away) | Mildred Bailey ; Casa Loma Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
Brunswick | C7300 | 10-in. | 1/12/1931 | He’s not worth your tears | Jimmie Noone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
Brunswick | C7301 | 10-in. | 1/12/1931 | Trav’lin’ all alone | Jimmie Noone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
Decca | 60201 | 10-in. | 12/6/1935 | Willow tree | Mildred Bailey and her Alley Cats | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 60202 | 10-in. | 12/6/1935 | Honeysuckle rose | Mildred Bailey and her Alley Cats | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 60203 | 10-in. | 12/6/1935 | Squeeze me | Mildred Bailey and her Alley Cats | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 60204 | 10-in. | 12/6/1935 | Down-hearted blues | Mildred Bailey and her Alley Cats | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 68712 | 10-in. | 2/14/1941 | When that man is dead and gone | Mildred Bailey ; Delta Rhythm Boys | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 68713 | 10-in. | 2/14/1941 | Jenny | Mildred Bailey ; Delta Rhythm Boys | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 68819 | 10-in. | 3/14/1941 | Georgia on my mind | Mildred Bailey ; Delta Rhythm Boys | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 68820 | 10-in. | 3/14/1941 | Rockin' chair | Mildred Bailey ; Delta Rhythm Boys | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 68821 | 10-in. | 3/14/1941 | Sometimes I'm happy | Mildred Bailey ; Delta Rhythm Boys | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 68822 | 10-in. | 3/14/1941 | I'm afraid of music | Mildred Bailey ; Delta Rhythm Boys | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 69361 | 10-in. | 6/13/1941 | Ev'rything depends on you-1 | Mildred Bailey ; Delta Rhythm Boys | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 69362 | 10-in. | 6/13/1941 | Lover come back to me | Mildred Bailey | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 69363 | 10-in. | 6/13/1941 | All too soon | Mildred Bailey | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 69412 | 10-in. | 6/24/1941 | It's so peaceful c.n the country | Mildred Bailey ; Delta Rhythm Boys | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 70310 | 10-in. | 2/12/1942 | Sometimes | Mildred Bailey | vocalist, soprano vocal | ||
Decca | 70311 | 10-in. | 2/12/1942 | Wherever you are | Mildred Bailey | vocalist, soprano vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bailey, Mildred," accessed May 2, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103960.
Bailey, Mildred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103960.
"Bailey, Mildred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Bailey, Mildred - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82164703
Wikidata: Mildred Bailey - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q257389
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/46945480
MusicBrainz: Mildred Bailey - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e079ff65-ad41-48e9-b6ce-8cdb0db64802
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