Ruth Etting made a tremendous impact on popular singing, which could be quite formal when she came into the field. She added a naturalism that was different. And instead of performing a song she would act it. Her tangy voice, long breath line, beautiful modulation and intonation and her outstanding musical qualities were made even more attractive by her being stylistic at a time most singers just did songs straight and by her good home-town-girl looks and personality.
Ruth remains, after all this time, singular. That tangy voice, that lilt, that total ease in performing, that facility in doing any kind of song. With a sharp tasty edge to her voice, she was perfect for records, and sold millions upon millions.
Wow, what an incredible singer this woman is! I recently saw the movie Love Me Or Leave me with James Cagney and Doris Day and I wanted to check out the real Etting. What a wonderful voice! The movie is good and Doris Day is a fine singer but she just doesn't have 100th of the talent of Ruth Etting. I've been listening to all her stuff and I'm completely knocked out!
Ruth you had the most beautiful voice. I could listen for hours. Hearing you brings joy to me and theirs so much more than this song. Rip you're not forgotten.
This is like comparing apples to oranges. Ruth Etting and Billie Holiday are like two opposite sides of a jazz coin, both great but very different. I personally believe preference for one or the other is a matter of personal taste. We are here to appreciate music of a bygone era, in a time when current POP is 99% devoid of taste, so lets find common ground and just enjoy the music.
What a wonderful thing to hear such stars of yesteryear. Remember they all had their own style with nothing to enhance their voices and it was the public who gave them fame by listening to the wireless/radio. Thank you for letting me see Ruth Etting who I only heard before.
Excellent post!! Ruth Etting has a very own style, the comparison to Billie Holiday is about comparing apples to pears! Just a question of taste...the comments of StukInTexAss and perfectjazz78 reminds me to Mr. Waldorf and Mr. Statler!
If you listen to Lee Wiley recordings made with Victor Young in 1933, she has much the same style as early Billie Holiday. Since Lee Wiley recorded in this manner before Billie Holiday, who would be considered more original?
Actually the pianist survived the incident. They later married (her and pianist) and stayed together until his death in 1966. She passed in 1978. But you're right though, her career ended shortly after the incident.
I agree, I enjoy her recordings with Teddy Wilson and Benny Goodman, and other solos of that era on the OKEH label but the later recordings aren't my cup of tea either.
Jazzgirl, are you serious when you say Billie Holliday is devoid of jazz feeling, Ruth Etting as good as she was as torch singer does not have the slightest clue how to phrase in a jazz sense, and as for your disparaging reference to Lester Young I think your i.d. is somewhat of a misnomer and should be changed
