Anna Mae Winburn

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Anna Mae Winburn


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Anna Mae Winburn
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Born = 1913 Port Royal, Tennessee
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Instrument = Piano, Guitar, Singer
Genre = Jazz music
Big band
Occupation = Bandleader
Years_active = est 1936–1956
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Associated_acts = International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Cotton Club Boys
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Anna Mae Winburn, nee Darden (August 13, 1913 - September 30, 1999) was an African American vocalist and jazz bandleader who flourished beginning in the mid 1930s. She is best known for having directed the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, an all-female big band that was perhaps one of the few — and one of the most — racially integrated dance-bands of the swing era. [Liz, Sher (1987) "The International Sweethearts of Rhythm," "Sage: A Scholarly Journal on Black Women. 4"(1). p 59-60.]

Family

Anna Mae Winburn was born to a musical family in Port Royal, Tennessee, and migrated to Indianapolis, Indiana, at a young age. [Daniels, Douglas Henry, "One O'clock Jump: The Unforgettable History Of The Oklahoma City Blue Devils." Beacon Press. p. 197. (2006)] Her mother's maiden name was "Cornell." [ [http://people.mnhs.org/dci/Results.cfm Minnesota Death Certificate Index] for Anna's sister, Julia M. Hughes.] She, with two of her sisters, came west from Kokomo, Indiana Her sister was born Julia Mae Darden on December 20, 1920. Judy sang with groups around Minneapolis, and was once married to Frank Perkins, a competent pianist and son of "Red" Perkins. [Verbal recollection of Stewart "Dirk" Fischer, given to the contributor of this article via email, October 28, 2007. In 1948-49, Judy Perkins was divorced, according to Mr. Fischer, who knew them personally.] Sometime around 1961 Judy married a saxophonist and bandleader Percy Caesar Hughes of Minneapolis. [ [http://www.usta.com/misc_pages/custom.sps?iType=1927&icustompageid=5885 Percy Caesar Hughes, Jr.] . USTA.com. Retrieved 5/5/08.] . Judy, then known as Julia Mae Hughes, died of lung cancer on January 1, 1975. Anna Mae Winburn's other sister was Easter Darden, who married drummer and vibist William "Jeep" Stewart, and after divorcing him, later married James Overton.

Indiana

Her first known publicized performance was singing with the studio band of Radio WOWO, Fort Wayne. She worked at at various clubs in Indiana, including the Chateau Lido [Jack Ginty owned the Chateau Lido in the 1930s.] in Indianapolis (where she appeared under the pseudonym Anita Door). [Grove Music.]

North Omaha

From there she moved to North Omaha, Nebraska, where she sang and played guitar for a variety of territory bands, or groups whose touring activities and popularity were geographically limited to several adjoining states, that were led by Red Perkins. [Daniels, Douglas Henry (2006) p. 194.] During that time Winburn was a collaborator of Lloyd Hunter, frequently singing for Lloyd Hunter's "Serenaders". She also led the Cotton Club Boys out of Omaha, a group that at one point included the amazing guitarist Charlie Christian. [(nd) [http://www.musicweb-international.com/encyclopaedia/i/I10.HTM International Sweethearts.] MusicWeb Encyclopedia. Retrieved 7/8/07.] When many of the musicians were lost to the World War II draft, Winburn joined the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. [(nd) [http://www.charlottesville.org/Index.aspx?page=539 "The International Sweethearts of Rhythm"] . City of Charlottesville. Retrieved 7/8/07.] Soon she went to Oklahoma City and led bands for a short while. It was there that she led Eddie Durham's "All-Girl Orchestra", which eventually earned her an invite to join the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. [Placksin, Sally. (1982) "American Women in Jazz: 1900 to the Present : Their Words, Lives, and Music." Seaview Books. p. 108.]

International Sweethearts of Rhythm

Eddie Durham had been the composer for the International Sweethearts of Rhythm for two years before leaving to join Count Basie's band. [Hickok, G.V. and Barnhart, T. (1990) "A Celebration of Women in the Arts: The Best Selections." Helicon Nine Editions, University of Michigan. p. 332.] After being recommended by Jimmie Jewel, who owned North Omaha's Dreamland Ballroom, Winburn became the leader of the band in 1941. [Handy, D.A. (1998) "Black Women in American Bands and Orchestras." Scarecrow Press. p. 63.] She was reportedly hired for her attractive figure, with the intention of doing little actual composing or singing. [Feather, L. (1987) "Jazz Years: Earwitness to an Era." Da Capo Press. p. 137.]

In a video interview from 1986, Winburn reported of her first meeting, "I said 'What a bunch of cute little girls, but I don't know whether I could get along with that many women or not." [(1986) "International Sweethearts of Rhythm." Schiller and Weiss. Swing Time Productions.] During this period she married Eustace "Duke" Pilgrim (around 1948). [McPartland, M. (2003) "Marian McPartland's Jazz World: All in Good Time." University of Illinois Press. p. 142.] Duke Pilgrim had a prior marriage to Alberta Adams. Despite rumors of Betty White being groomed to take her place after her marriage, [Bauer, W.R. (2002) "Open the Door: The Life and Music of Betty Carter." University of Michigan Press. p. 21.] Winburn was the band's leader until it folded in late 1949.

Winburn formed other incarnations of the International Sweethearts for the next 10 years, often billing her name before the band's. However, those bands never regained the notoriety of the early years. [Hine, D.C. (2005) "Black Women in America." Oxford Univ Press. p. 132.]

Death

Winburn died in 1999 in Hempstead, New York.

References

External links

Photographs
* [http://www.detroitmusichistory.com/Marice/amw-pop.jpgAnna Mae Winburn with Maurice King]
* [http://www.sepiajazz.com/i/Women_band005.jpgAnna Mae Winburn] at piano
* [http://net.unl.edu/musicFeat/images/omaha4.jpgAnna Mae Winburn]