THE LONESOMEST GIRL IN THE WORLD

JIMMY MCHUGH WROTE IT…

TORCH SINGER LITTLE MISS CORNSHUCKS IMMORTALIZED IT

Today, most people have never heard of Little Miss Cornshucks, let alone had the chance to hear her music. 

Little Miss Cornshucks (real name: Mildred Cummings) was, above all, a unique live performer. She riveted audiences from Los Angeles to Chicago to New York in the post-World War II years, the “after-hours blues” era between swing and rock ‘n’ roll.

The late Ahmet Ertegun, renowned co-founder of Atlantic Records, chose to begin his memoir by remembering Miss Cornshucks as ‘the best blues singer I’ve ever heard.’

In 1943 Ertegun heard her sing in a Washington D.C. hole in the wall joint. He said he was so taken by her voice that it made him determined to go into the record business. She was literally the very first artist he ever recorded. 

In his book Ertegun says that (seeing her that night) ‘was the reason I got into this business’…. ’Cornshucks was just so…soulful.’

A lover of poignant, torchy ballads, Miss Cornshucks performed for largely black audiences i.e. rural southerners who had migrated to northern towns. They seemed to respond best to a touch of down home country so she began wearing down-and-out poor girl hand-me-downs.

Her stagewear eventually morphed into an outlandish pantaloons-and-gingham-dress get-up that would become a key part of her emerging Little Miss Cornshucks stage persona. Never finding shoes that seemed quite right, she started going onstage barefoot!

Throughout the 1950s Miss Cornshucks continued to perform, building a following across the country. Unfortunately, marital problems triggered her alcohol and drug abuse, from which her career began to suffer.

In 1961 Cornshucks was signed to Chess Records by Ralph Bass, the venerable record business pro who ‘discovered’ James Brown.

The resulting ‘comeback’ LP The Lonesomest Girl In The World, took its name from the Jimmy McHugh tear-jerking ballad that was the albums centerpoint.

One journalist said her version of The Lonesomest Girl In Town revealed the singer’s ‘acceptance of her own obituary, in a dramatic, desolate, half-sung, half spoken reading.’

Other critics have since agreed that Cornshucks’ stunning performance of the classic McHugh tune mirrored her rocky career and troubled personal life.

Here’s a link to little Miss Cornshuck’s recording of Jimmy McHugh’s The Lonesomest Girl In The World.

       http://youtu.be/Lu35o_Y2lDU

COLEMAN HAWKINS: A TOWERING JAZZ INFLUENCE

Jimmy McHugh’s ballad, Lost In A Fog 

- A Signature Recording

Coleman Hawkins with Miles Davis performing at The Three Deuces Club, New York - circa 1947

Speaking about legendary saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, Miles Davis said "When I heard Hawk, I learned to play ballads." Notably among the top ballads recorded by Hawkins was the atmospheric Jimmy McHugh ballad, Lost In A Fog.

While Hawkins is most strongly associated with Swing Music and the Big Band era, he also had a pivotal role in the early development of Bebop in the 1940s.

The evolution of his musical styles can be traced through the musicians with whom he played. Throughout the 1920s and 30s he teamed with Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Benny Carter and Benny Goodman.

Coleman Hawkins in performance - circa 1946

Images by famed jazz photographer William P. Gottlieb 

In the early 1940s, Hawkins (whose nickname was ‘The Hawk’) led a combo which included Thelonius Monk, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach and Miles Davis.

Hawkins had a keen ear for new talent and styles and was  leader on what is generally considered as the first ever Bebop recording session with Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach.

Through his later years Hawkins continued to influence many important artists, recording or performing with such adventurous musicians as John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.

Here’s a link to vintage Coleman Hawkins performing Jimmy McHugh’s Lost In A Fog (From the album The Hawk In Europe 1934 - 1937)

REVISITING TRUMPETER TERENCE BLANCHARD’S ALBUM: LET’S GET LOST -THE MUSIC OF JIMMY McHUGH

With so much new music is released every year, it ‘s easy for even very successful recordings to get lost in the shuffle.  

One such standout is Grammy-winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard’s album, ironically titled Let’s Get Lost: The Songs of Jimmy McHugh.

The disc which reached #3 on the Billboard Jazz Chart, features vocalists Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, Diane Reeves and Cassandra Wilson. The disc enjoyed major critical acclaim upon its 2001 release.

In TIME Magazine, reviewer Christopher John Farley stated:

“On this supremely satisfying CD, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, with the help of four jazz divas, pays tribute to the music of songwriting great Jimmy McHugh. Diana Krall whisks in like winter, offering a chilly, elegant take on the title song; newcomer Jane Monheit is spring, with a dewy rendition of Too Young to Go Steady; Dianne Reeves' summery I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me offers gentle warmth; and Cassandra Wilson's autumnal Sunny Side of the Street is laden with loss but colored with beautiful hues. Blanchard blows his way through these songs with charming, restrained invention and a pure, vivid tone.” 

Along with the title track, Let's Get Lost (immortalized years before by trumpeter Chet Baker), the album features such McHugh-penned tunes as Too Young To Go Steady, You're A Sweetheart, I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me, I'm In The Mood For Love, Don't Blame Me, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Exactly Like You, Can't Get Out Of This Mood, On The Sunny Side Of The Street and Lost In A Fog (a Grammy nominee for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo)

Let’s Get Lost:The Songs of Jimmy McHugh also features the talents of top players  Brice Winston - tenor sax; Edward Simon - piano; Derek Nievergelt - bass and Eric Harland - drums.

Too Young To Go Steady Terence Blanchard w/Jane Monheit