Pha Terrell

Elmer "Pha" Terrell (May 25, 1910 in Kansas City, Missouri - October 14, 1945 in Los Angeles) was an American jazz singer.

Terrell was working in nightclubs locally in Kansas City in the early 1930s as a singer, dancer, and emcee when he was discovered by Andy Kirk, who hired him to be the vocalist for his group the Twelve Clouds of Joy. Terrell sang with Kirk for eight years, from 1933 to 1941, and recorded with him extensively for Decca Records, singing hits such as 1936's "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" and 1938's "I Won't Tell a Soul (I Love You)".

After 1941 Terrell moved to Indianapolis to play with Clarence Love's territory band, then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a soloist. Terrell died of kidney failure in 1945.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 25, 1910 (Kansas City), Died October 14, 1945 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 60862 10-in. 3/3/1936 All the jive is gone Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 60886 10-in. 3/11/1936 I'se a-muggin' Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 60887 10-in. 3/11/1936 Until the real thing comes along Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 60972 10-in. 4/2/1936 Until the real thing comes along Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 60973 10-in. 4/3/1936 Blue illusion Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 60974 10-in. 4/3/1936 Cloudy Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 61003 10-in. 4/7/1936 Give her a pint (and she'll tell it all) Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 61465 10-in. 12/9/1936 What will I tell my heart? Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 61466 10-in. 12/9/1936 Dedicated to you Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 61599 10-in. 2/15/1937 Skies are blue Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 61950 10-in. 2/15/1937 Downstream Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62133 10-in. 4/17/1937 Worried over you Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62134 10-in. 4/17/1937 Foolin' myself Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62135 10-in. 4/17/1937 I'm glad for your sake Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62136 10-in. 4/17/1937 I'll get along somehow Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62447 10-in. 7/26/1937 In my wildest dreams Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62448 10-in. 7/26/1937 Better luck next time Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62449 10-in. 7/26/1937 Satan takes a holiday Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62453 10-in. 7/27/1937 What's mine is yours Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62455 10-in. 7/27/1937 The key to my heart Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62456 10-in. 7/27/1937 I want to be a gypsy Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62872 10-in. 12/13/1937 Lover come back to me Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 62873 10-in. 12/13/1937 Poor butterfly Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 63255 10-in. 2/8/1938 I surrender dear Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 63257 10-in. 2/8/1938 It must be true Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64612 10-in. 9/9/1938 The gal that wrecked my life Rodney Sturgis vocalist  
Decca 64613 10-in. 9/9/1938 Bless you, my dear Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64614 10-in. 9/9/1938 How can we be wrong? Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64615 10-in. 9/9/1938 Mess-a stomp-1 Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64642 10-in. 9/2/1938 Toadie toddle Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64643 10-in. 9/2/1938 won't tell a soul (I love you) Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64644 10-in. 9/2/1938 What would people say? Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64645 10-in. 9/2/1938 How much do you mean to me? Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64695 10-in. 10/24/1938 Breeze Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64696 10-in. 10/24/1938 Ghost of love Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64697 10-in. 10/24/1938 What a life Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64698 10-in. 10/25/1938 Sittin' around and dreamin' Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64699 10-in. 10/25/1938 What's your story, morning glory? Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64777 10-in. 12/5/1938 Honey Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64778 10-in. 12/5/1938 September in the rain Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64779 10-in. 12/5/1938 Clouds Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64782 10-in. 12/6/1938 Goodbye Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64784 10-in. 12/6/1938 But it didn't mean a thinq Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 64785 10-in. 12/6/1938 Say it again Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 65188 10-in. 3/16/1939 You set me on fire Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 65189 10-in. 3/16/1939 I'll never learn Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 65250 10-in. 3/23/1939 S'posin' Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 65251 10-in. 3/23/1939 I'll never fail you Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 65252 10-in. 3/23/1939 Why don't I get wise to myself Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 66877 10-in. 11/15/1939 I'm getting nowhere with you Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 66878 10-in. 11/15/1939 I don't stand a ghost of a chance with you Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 67011 10-in. 1/2/1940 Love is the thing Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 67012 10-in. 1/2/1940 Why go on pretending ? Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 67917 10-in. 7/8/1940 Now I lay me down to dream Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  
Decca 67918 10-in. 7/8/1940 There is no greater love Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Terrell, Pha," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597.

Terrell, Pha. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597.

"Terrell, Pha." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597

External Sources

Wikipedia: Pha Terrell

Discogs: Pha Terrell

Allmusic: Pha Terrell

Grove: Pha Terrell

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Terrell, Pha, 1910-1945 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no98027661

Wikidata: Pha Terrell - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q965547

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/17425229

MusicBrainz: Pha Terrell - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/d8bf32da-09c6-492e-a3a4-4a83c3bd522d

ISNI: 0000 0000 4565 6928 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000045656928

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