Helen Humes
Helen Humes was a versatile singer equally skilled on blues, swing standards, and ballads. Her cheerful style was always a joy to hear. As a child, she played piano and organ in church, and made her first recordings (ten blues songs in 1927) when she was only 13 and 14. In the 1930s, she worked with Stuff Smith and Al Sears, recording with Harry James in 1937-1938. In 1938, Humes joined Count Basie's Orchestra for three years. Since Jimmy Rushing specialized in blues, Helen Humes mostly got stuck singing pop ballads, but she did a fine job. After freelancing in New York (1941-1943) and touring with Clarence Love (1943-1944), Humes moved to Los Angeles. She began to record as a leader and had a hit in "Be-Baba-Leba"; her 1950 original "Million Dollar Secret" is a classic. Humes sometimes performed with Jazz at the Philharmonic, but was mostly a single in the 1950s. She recorded three superb albums for Contemporary during 1959-1961, and had tours with Red Norvo. She moved to Australia in 1964, returning to the U.S. in 1967 to take care of her ailing mother. Humes was out of the music business for several years, but made a full comeback in 1973, and stayed busy up until her death. Throughout her career, Helen Humes recorded for such labels as Savoy, Aladdin, Mercury, Decca, Dootone, Contemporary, Classic Jazz, Black & Blue, Black Lion, Jazzology, Columbia, and Muse.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Sings Fine Jazz
Pop - Released by Golden Jazzsingers on 19 May 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Three Classic Albums Plus (Songs I Like to Sing! / Swingin’ with Humes / Helen Humes) (Digitally Remastered)
Jazz - Released by AVID Jazz on 6 Aug 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Blue and Sentimental
Blues - Released by ProExport Digital on 29 Mar 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1927 - 1945
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 16 Feb 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Me Myself and My Songs (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Underground Inside Records on 24 Jun 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Vocal Jazz - Released by Dobre Records on 9 Aug 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vocal & Jazz Essential Masters
Vocal Jazz - Released by Master Classics Records on 1 Apr 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Blue Notes – A Blues Survey from 1920-1960, vol. 4
Helen Humes, Jimmy Rushing, Pinetop Smith
Blues - To be released on 14 Jun 2024 by Phontastic
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Helen Humes' Be Baba Leba
R&B - Released by Charly Records on 24 Jun 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1948 - 1950
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 16 Feb 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Helen Humes Collection 1927-62
R&B - Released by ACROBAT on 8 Aug 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Million Dollar Secret
Pop - Released by Black Sheep Music on 16 Aug 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Be-Baba-Leba (1944-52)
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Jasmine Records on 21 Oct 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sea of Sounds
Jazz - Released by Beat Machine Records on 19 Oct 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Today I Sing the Blues (1944 - 1955)
Blues - Released by Jasmine Records on 2 Nov 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Sound of Vocal Swing Music
Jazz - Released by Music Manager on 22 Jun 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The One and Only, Vol. 1
Jazz - Released by Diamond Days on 5 May 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo