Chicago world. (Chicago, Ill.) 1918-????, 1949-01-08

out Tor any particular feat. So
instead, We'll name Is perform
ers who did something this year
whether a step in the right dir
ectlon is left up to public opin-
ion.
Well start with Lionel Hamp-
Ton. Lionel began the year, we
are sorrowfully reminded, by
losing a local newspaper poll he
had been winning so easily pre-
viously. He accomplished one
great thing: the film "a Song
Is Born. His second best effort
was getting his own radio show
on the Treasury Half Hour. The
rest of his year reads like it
should: successful band sche-
dule Next we'll take Louis
Jordan who added another reel
OF film to his collection at As
tor Pictures in making Lookout
Sister" in Hollywood (Jordan
Productions). Nothing else new:
he played his usual tours, MAX
ing many "firsts" in engage
ments and causing one night
bookers to cape at receiIts.
We think Miss Lena Horne
deserves a special hand for her
righteousness. The little gal re-
turned from Paris, had her stu
pendous film Words and Mur
sic' released where she gets top
billing, played a return date at
tn fabulous Copcaabana, did
some weeks at the Capital
Theatre, Slapsie Makes in
Hollywood, graciously received
many awards of the year and
trained it back to California for
Xmas. In addition, La Horne
went all out for the New Look,
defying h and high water
and stuck by her guns and her
short bob The only woman
to come anywhere near Hornes
activeness is Miss Billie Holiday
who returned to the scene OF
musicland a new, better and
more beautiful Billie than we
had ever seen. Promoters learn
ed tits magic" meant only one
thing this year: Lady Day. She
did her own concerts, re-opened
the Ebony Club and continued
on to greater glories, cross
country wearing the blue Ola
mond bracelet, Nine. Wslma's
widest creations in split even
ing gowns, draped and satined
plus that Lady Day Specialize
mink. Besides getting her voice
insured, falling in love and max
ing the world love her again,
Billie "debuted" late in the year
but 1949 holds unlimited cap
abilities for her.
Nat King Cole made headlines
throughout the months by doing
the sensational taking a
wife, honeymooning in Mexico
buying a home =. all front
page material. He also pocketed
much gold on his best release
of AS: "Nature Boy" and by
changing the last original mem
Der of the Trio, Johnny Miller,
to Joe Comfort. Packing about
everything in IL short months,
what more can a teller do? Duke
Arlington went abroad, charmed
the London audiences, returned
to find his band scattered IN
many be-bop centers, whipped
them into shape and made a 81
gantic Carnegie Hall concert. 1
But We still remember the great
est shock Of AS: when the guy
was stricken while playing the,
Apollo and word went aroundb'
that he was dead. !!
Dizzy Gillespie rode into power |
with tam, glasses and be-bop
wand after starting off badly be- |
ing stranded in Europe LAR 1
negie Hall concerts, awards, etc. !
>. the usual thing. Sarah !
Vaughn went along smoothly, |
blossoming out with new gowns
to become her and of course, that
Cadillac, a symbol Of her success
Louis Armstrong flew to
Europe for the jazz concerts, i'd
a film New Orleans" and "a
Song Is Born =. Nellie Lutcher
came back near the ending
months at Cafe Society Down.
town Cher starting place( and
on to the Paramount Theatre
t57,, 70
hear her re-sing the old ones.
Thelma Carpenter sWore AS was
'fher'' year but Carpie was
practically buried (as she would
say in the best musical of the
year Inside USA" and never
got the night club or radio offers
she worked so hard for. Most
she did was a stint at LeReuban
Bleu after the Ebony Club deal
fell through when the Club fold
ed.
The Ravens made crowds
stand in inc for hours when
their recording hits the streets
and the boys quickly ranked with
the very tops of harmonious
singers Pearl Bailey did a
stint in Hollywood for Para
mount Pictures, played the elite
nlaces like LIE Directoire and |
snots in Hollywood The !
Delta Rhythm Boys added no
thing to their year by being On |
tho show which played the Para
mount Theatre for just one week !
IA all time low recorO.
Toni Harper was the brightest, |
c1test and freshest star with heF