Annette Hanshaw

Catherine Annette Hanshaw (October 18, 1901 – March 13, 1985) was an American Jazz Age singer. She was one of the most popular radio stars of the late 1920s and early 1930s, with many of her most notable performances taking place on NBC's Maxwell House Show Boat. Over four million of her records had been sold by 1934, following the peak of her popularity.

In her ten-year recording career, she recorded about 250 sides. In a 1934 poll conducted by Radio Stars magazine, she received the title of best female popular singer (Bing Crosby was voted the best male popular singer). Second place went to Ethel Shutta, third place went to Ruth Etting, and fourth place went to Kate Smith.

Biography Hanshaw was born in Manhattan on October 18, 1901, to Frank Wayne Hanshaw and Mary Gertrude McCoy. She had two brothers, George and Frank.

Her aunt and uncle, Nellie McCoy and Bob "Uke" Hanshaw, were vaudeville performers. She sang for guests at hotels owned by her father and demoed sheet music at her family's music store, The Melody Shop, in Mount Kisco, Westchester County, New York. Her professional music career started when she was paid to sing for society and birthday parties.

In August 1932, Hanshaw began recording for ARC; her recordings were issued on the Melotone, Perfect, Conqueror, Oriole and Romeo labels. Her final session, on February 3, 1934, was placed on ARC's Vocalion label. On December 6, 1937 Hanshaw gave the final performance of her career on The Chevrolet Musical Moments Revue. Hanshaw's favorite singers were Marion Harris, Sophie Tucker, and Blossom Seeley. Hanshaw disliked show business. In a 1972 interview with Jack Cullen she said,

Hanshaw married Pathé Records executive Herman "Wally" Rose in 1929.

Later years In 1954, Herman "Wally" Rose died. Annette Hanshaw later married Herb Kurtin.

For many years it was believed that Hanshaw was born in 1910. The Syncopated Times lists her birthday as October 18, 1901, in New York City. Her nephew, Frank W. Hanshaw III, confirmed that 1901 is the year on her birth certificate, the last two numbers of the year having been transposed, possibly by Hanshaw herself to shave years off her true age.