Annette Hanshaw

Annette Hanshaw

Photo: Murray Kent Collection

Source: Internet Archive

Born in New York City on 18 October 1901, Annette Hanshaw comes down to us as a major representative of the Roaring Twenties flapper girl, otherwise the "lovable and sweet" darling of popular song with a jazzy little bob who kept herself in the company of some of the bigger names in dance and jazz music, everybody wanting this lady in their catalogs. She dotted her path along the way with pseudonyms including Gay Ellis, Dot Dare, Patsy Young, Marion Lee, Janet Shaw and Lelia Sandford.

Hanshaw began her career singing at parties. In a 1972 interview Jack Cullen asked Hanshaw what recordings of the late twenties or early thirties of which she was the more proud, to which she responded "As a matter of fact I disliked all of them intensely...I often cried because I thought they were so poor." As this was not the only time she expressed similar sentiments, one gathers she was a fairly critical judge of herself, a perfectionist. I myself probably won't require a tissue as a result of writing this, though you might if you continue to read it. If you are presently experiencing an "intense dislike" I sympathize, as this summarizes my own opinion of all that I've done going back to childhood when I landed on my head from the playground gym and dared not cry. Now psychologically adjusted, that you might continue to greater satisfaction whilst I less unpleasantly, so was Hanshaw when she made her initial recordings, an unreleased audition of medleys for Pathé Actuelle on 28 July of 1926 in New York City. Hanshaw's first recordings to issue followed on 12 September per 'Black Bottom' and 'Six Feet of Papa' on Pathé 32207 and Pathé 32211.

Audition Medleys 1 & 2   Annette Hanshaw (piano)

Recorded 28 July 1926 in NYC   Testing unissued

Medley on matrix E-2476-2:

'After I say I'm sorry'   'Bye bye blackbird'   'The day I met you'

Medley on matrix E-2477-2:

'I ain't got nobody but you'   'I wonder what's become of Joe?'   'Five foot two, eyes of blue'

'Black Bottom'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 12 Sep 1926 in NYC   Matrix E-2518-C   Pathe Actuelle 32207

Hanshaw's first recording to issue

Cornet: Red Nichols    Trombone: Miff Mole

Clarinet: Jimmy Lytell   Piano: Irving Brodsky

Composition: Buddy DeSylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson

'Six Feet of Papa'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 12 Sep 1926 in NYC   Matrix E-2519-D   Pathe Actuelle 32211

Hanshaw's first recording to issue

Cornet: Red Nichols    Trombone: Miff Mole

Clarinet: Jimmy Lytell   Piano: Irving Brodsky

Music: Billy Moll   Lyrics: Arthur L Sizemore

'That's Why I Love You'   Annette Hanshaw (piano)

Recorded 13 Sep 1926 in NYC   Apex 774

Composition: Walter Donaldson

'Cherie, I Love You'   Annette Hanshaw (piano)

Recorded 20 Oct 1926 in NYC   E-2565-B   Pathe Actuelle 32213

Composition: Lillian Rossdale Goodman

'Calling Me Home'   Annette Hanshaw (piano)

Recorded 20 Oct 1926 in NYC   E-2566-A   Pathe Actuelle 32222

Music: Jimmy Monaco   Lyrics: L. Wolfe Gilbert

'My Baby Knows How'   Annette Hanshaw w Irving Brodsky (piano)

Recorded 22 Oct 1926 in NYC

1 of 2 takes issued on Pathe Actuelle 32222 or Domino 21585

Composition: Benny Davis / Harry Akst / Harry Richman

'I'm All Alone in a Palace of Stone'   Annette Hanshaw w the Redheads

Recorded Nov 1926 in NYC   Pathe Actuelle 32217

The Redheads: Piano: Irving Brodsky   Violin: Murray Kellner

Composition: Lon Mooney

'Kiss Your Little Baby Goodnight'   Annette Hanshaw w Irving Brodsky (piano)

Recorded 26 Nov 1926 in NYC   Pathe Actuelle 32230

Composition: Walter Donaldson / Charley Straight

'Just Like a Butterfly'   Annette Hanshaw w Irving Brodsky (piano)

Recorded 29 April 1927 in NYC   Pathe Actuelle 32267

Music: Harry MacGregor Woods   Lyrics: Mort Dixon

'I Like What You Like'   Annette Hanshaw w the Four Instrumental Stars

Recorded 24 or 25 June 1927 in NYC   Matrix 107646-1   Pathe Actuelle 36664

The Four Instrumental Stars:

Sax / keyboards: Adrian Rollini   Violin: Joe Venuti

Guitar: Eddie Lang   Percussion / harpohone: Vic Berton

Composition: Adrian Rollini / Keane / Richard Rodgers

'Under the Moon'   Annette Hanshaw w the Four Instrumental Stars

Recorded 24 or 25 June 1927 in NYC   Matrix 107649-2   Pathe Actuelle 32275

The Four Instrumental Stars:

Sax / keyboards: Adrian Rollini   Violin: Joe Venuti

Guitar: Eddie Lang   Percussion / harpohone: Vic Berton

Composition: Adrian Rollini / Keane / Richard Rodgers

'Who's That Knocking at My Door'   Annette Hanshaw w Her Sizzlin' Syncopators

Recorded 8 Sep 1927 in NYC   Pathe Actuelle 32293

The Sizzlin' Syncopators:

Sax: Adrian Rollini   Violin: Joe Venuti

Guitar: Eddie Lang   Drums: Vic Berton

Music: Seymour Simon   Lyrics: Gus Kahn

Music VF has Hanshaw placing her initial top title on the charts at #10 per 'For Old Times' Sake' (Harmony 666) in 1928, followed by 'Am I Blue?' (Harmony 940) at #11 in 1929 and 'Big City Blues' (Columbia 1812) at #10 in 1929. She is known to have composed a couple songs, 'Till Your Happiness Happens Along' with music by Jack Miller recorded in October of 1929, and 'Sweet One' with music by Miller gone down in November of 1929.

'For Old Time's Sake'   Annette Hanshaw w Frank Ferera's Hawaiian Trio

Recorded 12 June 1928 in NYC   Harmony 666-H   Charts: #10

Ukulele: Mrs. John K. Paaluhi

Steel guitar: Frank Ferera

Steel Guitar: John K. Paaluhi

Composition: Buddy DeSylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson

'I Can't Give You Anything But Love'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 24 July 1928 in NYC   Harmony 706-H

Trumpet: Mike Mosiello   Clarinet: Jimmy Lytell

Alto sax / steel guitar: Andy Sannella   Piano: Rube Bloom

Music: Jimmy McHugh   Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

'Lonely Nights in Hawaii'   Annette Hanshaw w Frank Ferera's Hawaiian Trio

Recorded 10 Aug 1928 in NYC   Harmony 713-H

Ukulele: Mrs. John K. Paaluhi

Steel guitar: Frank Ferera

Steel Guitar: John K. Paaluhi

Composition: Bernie Seaman / Marvin Smolev

'I Wanna Be Loved by You'   Annette Hanshaw as Patsy Young

Recorded 22 Nov 1928 in NYC   Harmony 792-H

Trumpet: Manny Klein   Clarinet: Benny Goodman   Violin: Joe Venuti

Music: Herbert Stothart / Harry Ruby   Lyrics: Bert Kalmar  For the 1928 musical 'Good Boy'

'In a Great Big Way'   Annette Hanshaw w the Connecticut Yankees

Recorded 17 Jan 1929 in NYC

Take 2 issued on 'Annette Hanshaw 1928-29 Volume 5'   Sensation 769-748022-2 CD

(Take 1 issued on Harmony 832-H charts at #19)

Trumpet: Don Moore   Clarinet / sax: Rudy Vallee / Joe Miller

Violin: Mannie Lowey / Jules de Vorzon   Piano: Cliff Burwell

Banjo: Charles Peterson   Tuba: Harry Patent   Drums: Ray Toland

Music: Jimmy McHugh   Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

'You Wouldn't Fool Me Would You?'   Annette Hanshaw as Dot Dare

Recorded 15 March 1929 in NYC   Columbia 1769-D

Trumpet: Mike Mosiello   Clarinet / guitar: Andy Sannella

Violin: Ben Selvin   Piano: Rube Bloom   String bass: Joe Tarto

Composition: Buddy DeSylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson

'Big City Blues'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 5 April 1929 in NYC   Columbia 1812-D   Charts: #10

Trumpet: Mike Mosiello   Clarinet / kazoo: Larry Abbott

Guitar: Tony Colucci   String bass: Ward Ley

Composition: Con Conrad / Sidney Mitchell / Archie Gottler

'I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 9 May 1929 in NYC   Harmony 915-H

Trumpet: Phil Napoleon   Guitar: Tony Colucci

Tuba: Hank Stern   Drums: Stan King

Music: Fats Waller / Harry Link   Lyrics: George Marion Jr.

'Am I Blue?'   Annette Hanshaw w the New Englanders

Recorded 31 May 1929 in NYC   Matrix 148647-1   Take 1 of 2

Harmony 940-H   Charts: #11

Trumpet: Charlie Spivak   Clarinet / sax: Jimmy Dorsey / Hymie Wolfson

Violin: Ben Selvin   Piano: Arthur Schutt   Guitar: Tony Calucci

Tuba: Hank Stern   Drums: Stan King

Composition: Grant Clarke / Harry Akst

'Daddy Won't You Please Come Home'   Annette Hanshaw w the New Englanders

Recorded 31 May 1929 in NYC   Matrix 148648-4   Harmony 940-H

Trumpet: Charlie Spivak   Clarinet / sax: Jimmy Dorsey / Hymie Wolfson

Violin: Ben Selvin   Piano: Arthur Schutt   Guitar: Tony Calucci

Tuba: Hank Stern   Drums: Stan King

Composition: Sam Coslow

'True Blue Lou'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 24 July 1929 in NYC   Harmony 981-H

Trumpet: Phil Napoleon   Trombone: Tommy Dorsey   Clarinet: Jimmy Dorsey

Piano: Frank Signorelli   Guitar: Tony Calucci   Tuba: Joe Tarto

Composition: Leo Robin / Sam Coslow / Richard Whiting

'The Right Kind of Man'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 18 Oct 1929 in NYC   Okeh 41327

Trumpet: Phil Napoleon   Trombone: Charlie Butterfield

Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey   Piano: Irving Brodsky

Guitar: Dick McDonough   Tuba: Joe Tarto   Drums: Stan King

Composition: Abel Baer / Wolfe Gilbert

'I Think You'll Like It'   Annette Hanshaw as Patsy Young

Recorded 28 Oct 1929 in NYC   Harmony 1047-H

Trombone: Charlie Butterfield   Piano: Rube Bloom

Banjo: Tony Colucci   Drums: Stan King

Music: Richard Whiting   Lyrics: Billy Rose   For the 1929 film 'Sweetie'

Hanshaw starred on the Maxwell House 'Show Boat' radio show from 1932 to 1934 with the Casa Loma Orchestra. That led to her only appearance in film in January of 1933 per a short called 'Captain Henry's Radio Show' after which Maxwell's 'Showboat' became 'Captain Henry's Showboat'. From 1934 to 1936 Hanshaw joined the Casa Loma Orchestra on the Camel 'Caravan' show. Hanshaw made her last commercial recordings in February of 1934 for Vocalion, 'The Little Piggie Went to Market' and 'Let's Fall in Love'. In 1936 she privately recorded a medley with the Five H's led by nephew, Frank Hanshaw, which eventually saw release in 1983 on the compilation, '"It Was So Beautiful" 1927-36' per Sunbeam P-512. Hanshaw last performed on 6 December 1937 before retiring from the music industry to become a housewife. That was for the Chevrolet 'Musical Moments' radio program on which she had appeared once before on 2 October 1937. Hanshaw had recorded multiple versions of 'When I'm Housekeeping For You' in 1929 and 1930.

'We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye'   Annette Hanshaw

From the Paramount film 'Captain Henry's Radio Show' released 12 Aug 1933

Composition: Harry M. Woods

'This Little Piggy Went to Market'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 3 Feb 1934 in NYC   Matrix 14705-1   Vocalion 2635

Trumpet: Sterling Bose   Trombone: Jack Teagarden   Violin: Joe Venuti

Piano: Joe Meresco   Guitar: Perry Botkin

String bass: Artie Bernstein   Drums: Larry Gomar

Composition: Harold Lewis / Sam Coslow

From the English nursery rhyme 'This Little Piggy' published 1760

'Let's Fall in Love'   Annette Hanshaw

Recorded 3 Feb 1934 in NYC   Matrix 14706-1   Vocalion 2635

Hanshaw's final commercial recording to issue

Trumpet: Sterling Bose   Trombone: Jack Teagarden   Violin: Joe Venuti

Piano: Joe Meresco   Guitar: Perry Botkin

String bass: Artie Bernstein   Drums: Larry Gomar

Composition: Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler

'Blue Evening'   'You Heavenly Thing'   Annette Hanshaw w Frank Hanshaw's Five H's

From Medley of 3 minus the final 'What's the Reason'

Private recording of late 1936  

Clarinet / alto sax: Sal Pace   String bass: Emile Palucci

Issued on the compilation '"It Was So Beautiful" 1927-1936'   Sunbeam P-512  

'Hands Across the Table'   Annette Hanshaw w Victor Arden and His Orchestra

Final radio performance on 6 Dec 1937 before retirement  

Music: Jean Delettre   Lyrics: Mitchell Parish

Hanshaw spent the last half century of her life in New York City. She had married twice but left no children when quick as a blink cancer said "That's all" on 13 March 1985 in Manhattan [obit]. David Tarnow had aired his radio tribute to her in March the year before on CBS.