Ella Mae Morse

Ella Mae Morse

Source: Folie Magazine

Born on 12 September 1924 in Mansfield, Texas, Ella Mae Morse is an excellent example of transition from boogie woogie and swing toward rock and roll. Some consider her the first rock vocalist. Morse was but seventeen when she joined the band of boogie woogie pianist, Freddie Slack, then made her first issued recording in Los Angeles on 21 May 1942, 'Cow Cow Boogie' on Capitol 102. That reached Billboard's #9 tier in Pop, #6 in R&B. That was also Capitol Records' [Wikipedia] first gold disc of a million copies. Soon later she appeared in her first film with Slack released in February of 1943 per 'Reveille with Beverly' [IMDb]. Below is a kind of "Top Ten" chart for Ella Mae:

   Cow-Cow Boogie   Aug 1942   #9 Pop #6 R&B   Capitol 102
   Shoo-Shoo Baby   Dec 1943   #4 Pop #1 R&B   Capitol 143
   No Love, No Nothin'   Jan 1944   #4 Pop   Capitol 143
   Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet   May 1944   #7 Pop   Capitol 151
   The Patty Cake Man   Sep 1944   #10 Pop   Capitol 163
   Buzz Me   Jan 1946   #2 R&B   Capitol 226
   The Blacksmith Blues   Feb 1952   #3   Capitol 1922

'Old Rob Roy'   Ella Mae Morse w Freddie Slack and His Orchestra

31 July 1942 in Los Angeles   Matrix CAP-71-A   Capitol 133

Composition: Robert Dolan / Johnny Mercer   Arrangement: Paul Weston

'Cow Cow Boogie'   Ella Mae Morse w Freddie Slack and His Orchestra

From the film 'Beverly with Reveille' directed by Charles Barton   Released 4 Feb 1943

Music: Don Raye   Lyrics: Benny Carter

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'Shoo-Shoo Baby'   Ella Mae Morse w the Dick Walter Orchestra

1943 Los Angeles    Capitol 143

Composition: Phil Moore

'No Love, No Nothin''   Ella Mae Morse w the Dick Walter Orchestra

1943 Los Angeles    Capitol 143

Music: Harry Warren   Lyrics: Leo Robin

Other of Ella Mae's high-selling titles were 'Tess's Torch Song' which reached #13 flip side to 'Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet' on Capitol 151 in 1944, and 'Oakie Boogie' climbing to #23 on Capitol 2072 in June of 1952.

'Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet'   Ella Mae Morse w the Dick Walter Orchestra

1943 Los Angeles    Capitol 151

Music: Gene de Paul   Lyrics: Don Raye

'Tess's Torch Song'   Ella Mae Morse w the Dick Walter Orchestra

1943 Los Angeles    Capitol 151

Music: Harold Arlen   Lyrics: Ted Koehler

'Quoth the Raven'   Ella Mae Morse w the Kirby Grant Orchestra

From the film 'Ghost Catchers' directed by Edward Cline   Released 30 May 1944

Music: Paul Francis Webster   Lyrics: Harry Revel

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'The Patty Cake Man'   Ella Mae Morse

1943 Los Angeles    Capitol 163

Trumpet: Billy May / Charles Griffard / John Silva / Paul Geil

Trombone: Abe Lincoln / Burton Johnson / Dale Nicholls / James Skiles / William Atkinson

Clarinet: Russell Cheever   Alto Sax: Clyde Hylton / Fred Stulce /  Les Robinson

Tenor sax: Karl Leaf / King Guion   Baritone sax: Clyde Rogers

Piano: Ted Repay   Guitar: Barney Kessel

Tuba: Samuel Rice   Bass: Stan Fletcher   Drums: Mel Tormé

Composition: Roy Jordan

'Buzz Me'   Ella Mae Morse w Billy May and His Orchestra

25 Sep 1945 in Los Angeles    Capitol 226

Trumpet: Paul Geil / Charles Griffard / John Silva / Lenny Mach / Uan Rasey

Trombone: Carl Loeffler / James Skiles / William Atkinson / Elmer Smithers / Si Zentner

Alto Sax: Les Robinson / Heinie Beau (baritone)

Tenor sax: Lennie Hartman / Herbie Haymer / Harry Schuchman

Piano: Buddy Cole   Guitar: Dave Barbour

Bass: Phil Stephens   Drums: Nick Fatool

Composition: Fleecie Moore / Danny Baxter   Arrangement: May

'Blacksmith Blues'   Ella Mae Morse w the Nelson Riddle Orchestra

Dec 1951 in Los Angeles   Matrix  9371   Capitol 893

Composition: Jack Holmes

'Oakie Boogie'   Ella Mae Morse

Feb or March 1952 in Los Angeles   Matrix  9737   Capitol 969

Composition: Johnny Tyler

It was 1954 when Ella released her album with Big Dave and his Orchestra, 'Barrelhouse, Boogie and the Blues' (Capitol H 513/T 513). Morse recorded her last solo issue in 1957 per the album, 'Morse Code' (Capitol T 898). She also appeared on television a couple times that year, as well as with Charlie Barnet in the Universal film short, 'Record Hop'. Performing 'Accentuate the Positive', Tom Lord's sessionography has that issued on the later compilation, 'Film Tracks of Charlie Barnet' (Joyce ‎LP-3001).

'Money Honey'   Ella Mae Morse w Big Dave and His Orchestra

From the album 'Barrelhouse, Boogie and the Blues'

Album recorded November/December 1953 in Los Angeles   Capitol H513 / T513

Tenor sax: Dave Cavanaugh

Composition: Jesse Stone

Discogs

'Seventeen'   Ella Mae Morse w Big Dave and His Orchestra

July 1955 in Los Angeles   Matrix  14184   Capitol EPA1-9126

Composition: John Young / Chuck Gorman / Boyd Bennett

'Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive'   Ella Mae Morse w Billy May and His Orchestra

From the album 'Morse Code'

Album recorded summer 1957 in Los Angeles   Capitol T898

Composition: Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer

Discogs

Lord tracks Morse to as late as 1962 in Hollywood with the Red Norvo Quintet to spread along 'That Old Black Magic' issued in 1995 on 'The Red Norvo Quintet' (Studio West 103CD) [Discogs].

That Old Black Magic'   Ella Mae Morse w the Red Norvo Quintet

1962 in Hollywood    Studio West 103

Alto Sax / flute: Jerry Dodgion   Vibes: Norvo

Guitar: Jimmy Wyble   Bass: Red Wootten   Drums: John Markham

Composition: Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer

Discogs

Morse continued working nightclubs on both coasts into the nineties, such as Michael's Pub in New York and Ye Little Pub, the Cinegrill and the Vine St. Bar and Grill in Los Angeles. Morse also appeared at Disneyland for several years with the Ray McKinley Orchestra and toured Australia. She died on 16 October 1999 of heart failure in Bullhead, Arizona.