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 (Results 1-25 of 55 records)

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  
(Results 1-25 of 55 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Terrell, Pha," accessed April 23, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597.

Terrell, Pha. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597.

"Terrell, Pha." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 23 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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