Lucy Ann Polk

Lucy Ann Polk (May 16, 1927 – October 10, 2011) was an American jazz singer who performed with Les Brown's orchestra in the 1950s.[1][2]

Lucy Ann Polk
Born(1927-05-16)May 16, 1927
Sandpoint, Idaho, U.S.
Died(2011-10-10)October 10, 2011
Glendale, California
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1940s–1960
LabelsTrend
Associated actsThe Town Criers, Les Brown

She also sang and recorded with Bob Crosby,[3] Kay Kyser, Tommy Dorsey,[4] and Dave Pell.

Career

Polk began her music career with her sister and brothers in a quartet named the Four Polks, which was eventually changed to the Town Criers. They performed with big bands led by Les Brown, Lionel Hampton, and Kay Kyser until they disbanded in 1948. Polk became the lead vocalist with the Les Brown Orchestra. From 1952–1954, she was named Best Girl Singer with Band by Down Beat magazine.[5][6]

She began her solo career with the album Lucy Ann Polk with the Dave Pell Octet (Trend, 1954), followed by Lucky Lucy Ann (Mode, 1957; reissued by Interlude under the name Easy Livin in 1959). The latter album featured arrangements by Marty Paich.[5][7] On both albums, she sang jazz and traditional pop songs by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Hoagy Carmichael, Cole Porter, Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne, and Jimmy Van Heusen. She released no more albums and ended her career in 1960.[5]

Personal life

In 1946, Polk married Dick Noel, who played trombone with Les Brown's orchestra.[8]

Discography
  • With the Dave Pell Octet (Trend, 1954)
  • The Dave Pell Octet Plays Burke & Van Heusen (Kapp, 1956)
  • Lucky Lucy Ann (Mode, 1957)
  • With the Les Brown Orchestra 1950–1953 (Olfert Dappers, 1997)
  • Imagination (SSJ, 2013)

Notes
  1. Yanow, Scott. Jazz: a Regional Exploration. Page 77. Greenwood Press, 2005.
  2. tributes.com
  3. "Crosby Orchestra Here Next Sunday". The Daily Times. Ohio, New Philadelphia. April 10, 1947. p. 13. Retrieved July 15, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "(Tommy Dorsey ad)". The Lincoln Star. Nebraska, Lincoln. September 7, 1947. p. 28. Retrieved July 15, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. McGee, David (4 September 2015). "The Girl Singers That Time Forgot". The Absolute Sound. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  6. Klauber, Bruce (22 November 2012). "Fresh Sound Records and the Legacy of Recorded Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  7. Ankeny, Jason. "Lucky Lucy Ann - Lucy Ann Polk". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  8. "Brown Band Good As Ever". The Hutchinson News. Kansas, Hutchinson. February 9, 1951. p. 10. Retrieved July 16, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
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