Birth name Velma Middleton Name Velma Middleton Origin Holdenville, Oklahoma Role Vocalist | Occupation(s) Singer Genres Jazz Instruments Voice Associated acts Louis Armstrong | |
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Died February 10, 1961, Freetown, Sierra Leone Albums Satch Plays Fats, The Formula for Love (Mono Version), Louis Armstrong Plays the Blues (Mono Version) Similar People Louis Armstrong, Arvell Shaw, Trummy Young, Billy Kyle, Barney Bigard | ||
Louis armstrong with velma middleton live 1959
Velma Middleton (September 1, 1917 – February 10, 1961) was an American jazz vocalist and entertainer, who is best known for having sung with Louis Armstrong's big bands and small groups from 1942 until her death.
Contents
- Louis armstrong with velma middleton live 1959
- Louis armstrong velma middleton live 1955 baby its cold outside
- Biography
- References
Louis armstrong velma middleton live 1955 baby its cold outside
Biography
Middleton was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, and later moved with her parents to St. Louis, Missouri. She started her career as a chorus girl and dancer, and throughout her career performed acrobatic splits on stage despite being overweight. After working as a solo performer, and singing with Connie McLean's Orchestra on a tour of South America, she joined Armstrong's big band in 1942, and appeared with him in soundies.
When Armstrong's orchestra disbanded in 1947, Middleton joined his All-Stars, a smaller group. She was often used for comic relief, such as for duets with Armstrong on "That's My Desire" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside", and she did occasional features. She also recorded eight tracks as a solo singer for Dootone Records in 1948 and 1951. Although she was not widely praised for her voice, described by critic Scott Yanow as "average but reasonably pleasing and good-humored", Armstrong regarded her as an important and integral part of his show.
While touring with Armstrong in Sierra Leone, she had a stroke or heart attack in January 1961, and died the following month in hospital in Freetown. Musician Barney Bigard was critical of Armstrong and his manager Joe Glaser for refusing, after Middleton was taken ill, to arrange her transfer to a country with better health facilities.