JONES Betty Hall 1947-54
Blues vocalist, stand-up pianist, accasionally organist [Nobody's perfect!], Betty Hall Jones was born 1911 in Topeka, Kansas, a daughter of a woodwind teacher, brass band leader, George Archie Bigby. At age 5, Betty learned piano from her uncle Harold Myers. She moved to California and graduated from Hollywood High School in 1926. After a year of college, she married her first husband, one Hall, a banjo player, by whom she had two sons.
After separating from Hall, she worked as a relief pianist / singer for Bus Moten's band, and worked with singer Addie Williams. Then, she performed as a single artist before joining drummer / vocalist Roy Milton's band in 1937. She stayed with him until 1942. In the late 40's, she recorded with King Porter for Imperial and under her own name with Maxwell Davis for Atomic; With guitar ace Mitchell "Tiny" Webb for Capitol; and under Luke Jones' name for Modern.
Betty recorded the instrumental "Richmond blues" fot Dootsie Williams' Dootone label in 1952. The title commemorates Richmond, Missouri, which was the home town of her then husband, trombonist Jasper "Jap" Jones.
Betty worked for six years at the Sorrento Hotel in Seattle, Washington and toured in many countries worldwide.
In the late 50's, while performing at a club at Sunset Boulevard, she began working with an outrageous hat fashion, so that in the 70's, she was billed as "Queen of the Crazy Hats" and in 1983 as "The Mad Hatter"as well as "The Galloping Grandma".
By 1985, sha had moved to Perris, CA, with her third husband, Dick Beresford to whom she got married in 1981 (she was then 70). In 1986, she was on tour for 6 months in Sweden and England. The latest report we had about Betty is that she was in a convalescent home in LA suffering from Alzheimer's desease.
After separating from Hall, she worked as a relief pianist / singer for Bus Moten's band, and worked with singer Addie Williams. Then, she performed as a single artist before joining drummer / vocalist Roy Milton's band in 1937. She stayed with him until 1942. In the late 40's, she recorded with King Porter for Imperial and under her own name with Maxwell Davis for Atomic; With guitar ace Mitchell "Tiny" Webb for Capitol; and under Luke Jones' name for Modern.
Betty recorded the instrumental "Richmond blues" fot Dootsie Williams' Dootone label in 1952. The title commemorates Richmond, Missouri, which was the home town of her then husband, trombonist Jasper "Jap" Jones.
Betty worked for six years at the Sorrento Hotel in Seattle, Washington and toured in many countries worldwide.
In the late 50's, while performing at a club at Sunset Boulevard, she began working with an outrageous hat fashion, so that in the 70's, she was billed as "Queen of the Crazy Hats" and in 1983 as "The Mad Hatter"as well as "The Galloping Grandma".
By 1985, sha had moved to Perris, CA, with her third husband, Dick Beresford to whom she got married in 1981 (she was then 70). In 1986, she was on tour for 6 months in Sweden and England. The latest report we had about Betty is that she was in a convalescent home in LA suffering from Alzheimer's desease.
Betty Hall JONES 1947-54 Complete RecordingsMany good musicians there, but listen particulary to the underrated tenor Maxwell DAVIS as well as the other tenors Bumps Meyers an Dave Cavanaugh. You know that I love tenors...
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