Ethel Ennis

Ethel Llewellyn Ennis (November 28, 1932 – February 17, 2019) was an American jazz musician whose career spanned seven decades. Ennis spent the majority of her life in her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, where she was affectionately known as the "First Lady of Jazz".

Life and career Ennis was born in a row house on North Calhoun Street in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood. She began performing as a church pianist at a young age.

Embarking on a solo singing career, she recorded a number of songs for Atlantic Records before her LP debut, Lullabies for Losers, was released by Jubilee Records in 1955. Two of her recordings 'Call Me Young' and 'Sing Me A tune' were used in the UK during Testcard intervals on BBC1 between January 1978 and April 1980.

In 1963, she recorded four LPs for RCA Victor. However, disenchanted with the creative direction of the label and artist management, Ennis left that label and took another hiatus. Eight years would pass before she received another recording contract. During this period she sang the title song for the 1967 feature film Mad Monster Party? The BASF LP 10 Sides of Ethel Ennis emerged in 1973; later that year, Ennis, a Democrat, was invited to sing at the inauguration of Richard Nixon. Her unusual a cappella rendition of the national anthem shocked some, but inspired many others. She later appeared on the panel game show To Tell the Truth and, after she stood up as "the Real Ethel Ennis," reprised her a capella rendition of the national anthem for the panelists and audience, receiving a standing ovation.

Ennis had by then returned to her hometown of Baltimore, and would sing outside the area only a handful of times in the ensuing decades.

In 1998, Ennis once again recorded for a major label with If Women Ruled the World on Savoy Jazz.

Ennis provided the speaking and singing voice for the character of Ethel Earphone on the Maryland Public Television children's show Book, Look and Listen during the mid-1970s.

Discography Albums Year Title Chart positions Label US 200 1955 Lullabies for Losers — Jubilee 1957 Change of Scenery — Capitol 1958 Have You Forgotten? — 1964 Once Again — RCA Victor This Is Ethel Ennis 147 Eyes for You — 1965 My Kind of Waltztime — 1973 God Bless the Child — RCA Camden 1973 10 Sides of Ethel Ennis — BASF 1980 Ethel: Live at the Maryland Inn — EnE 1994 Ethel Ennis — Hildner 1998 If Women Ruled the World — Savoy 2005 Ennis Anyone? — Jazzmont

Singles "A Pair of Fools/Got It in My Blood (To Love You)" (Atco) Recorded in New York City on December 18, 1956. "I've got you under my skin/Off Shore" (Jubilee) "Boy from Ipanema/When Will the Hurt Be Over?" (RCA) "Now I Have Everything/Matchmaker Matchmaker" (RCA) "About Love/I've Got That Feeling" (RCA) "We Could Learn Together/Look at Me" (RCA) “For a little while/San Juan” (RCA) "I Believe in Love/I Wonder Who My Daddy Is" (BASF) "Call Me Young/Who Is It This Time?" (Spiral) "Sing Me a Tune/I Wonder Who My Daddy Is" (Spiral)

This listing is sourced from AllMusic and Discogs.