Adelaide Susan Hall

Adelaide Hall (1901-1993) was an American singer and entertainer whose career began in 1921 and lasted for over seven decades. She was a significant figure during the Harlem Renaissance, achieving early fame on Broadway in musicals like "Shuffle Along." Her career took her to Europe in 1925 with the "Chocolate Kiddies" revue, where she performed in Germany and France.

Hall's collaboration with Duke Ellington on "Creole Love Call" in 1927 was a major breakthrough, leading to international success. She later starred in the highly successful Broadway production "Blackbirds of 1928," which also toured Europe. After 1938, she became based in the UK, continuing to perform and record. Her enduring career led to her recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most enduring recording artist, having released material across eight consecutive decades.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1901, Adelaide Hall's early life was marked by tragedy and a strong artistic upbringing. Her father, a piano teacher at the Pratt Institute, passed away when she was young, and her sister died just a few years later, leaving Adelaide to support her mother. She married Bertram Errol Hicks, a sailor from Trinidad and Tobago, in 1924. He supported her career, opening a Harlem club and acting as her manager. Hall began her professional stage career in 1921 on Broadway, joining the chorus of the hit musical "Shuffle Along." This early success led to further roles in similar black musical productions, solidifying her presence in the New York theater scene.

In 1925, Adelaide Hall embarked on a significant European tour with the "Chocolate Kiddies" revue, a show that showcased black American entertainment. The tour, which included songs by Duke Ellington, began in Germany and concluded in Paris. During her time in Germany, Hall also performed at the Eldorado Café in Berlin, a venue later immortalized in literature and film. Upon her return to the United States, she continued to perform in various revues and musicals, including productions featuring music by Fats Waller and scoring success with "Desires of 1927." Her performances often included singing, dancing, and playing the ukulele, and she was noted for developing a unique vocal style she termed 'squagel'.

A pivotal moment in Adelaide Hall's career came in October 1927 when she recorded "Creole Love Call" and "The Blues I Love To Sing" with Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. The wordless vocals she provided on "Creole Love Call" became a worldwide hit, significantly boosting both her and Ellington's careers. She also performed with Ellington in the show "Dance Mania." In 1928, Hall starred in the Broadway production "Blackbirds of 1928" alongside Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. This show was a massive success, making both performers household names and becoming the most successful all-black show on Broadway at the time. The production later transferred to Paris, where Hall received a reception comparable to that of Charlie Chaplin.

Following her immense success in the United States and Europe, Adelaide Hall established herself in the United Kingdom after 1938, continuing her career as a jazz singer and entertainer. Her professional life remained active for over seven decades. Her remarkable longevity in the recording industry was recognized in 2003 when she was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most enduring recording artist, with material released across eight consecutive decades. Throughout her career, she shared the stage and studio with numerous legendary artists, including Art Tatum, Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, and Fats Waller, cementing her place as a significant figure in jazz and entertainment history.

“I was standing in the wings behind the piano when Duke first played it ("Creole Love Call"). I started humming along with the band. He stopped the number and came over to me and said, "That's just what I was looking for. Can you do it again?" I said, "I can't, because I don't know what I was doing." He begged me to try. Anyway, I did, and sang this counter melody, and he was delighted and said "Addie, you're going to record this with the band." A couple of days later I did.”

“We had to do something to employ Adelaide Hall... I always say we are primitive artists, we only employ the materials at hand ... the band is an accumulation of personalities, tonal devices.”