Biography

Mabel Scott was born on April 30 1915 in Richmond VA and raised in New York City She developed her singing voice in the Metropolitan Baptist Church and led her own all-girl gospel group the Song Cycles It was around 1932 that 17-year-old Mabel Scott began singing at Harlems Cotton Club with Cab Calloways Orchestra and the dancing Nicholas Brothers After moving to Cleveland in 1936 she and pianist Bob Mosley went to England where she made her first recordings in 1938 for the Parlophone label Scott toured Europe soon afterwards and would return repeatedly from 1940 through 1942 The Second World War forced her to relocate and she chose to settle in Los Angeles This placed her at the epicenter of the postwar West Coast jazz and RB scene Following a short spell with Jimmie Luncefords Orchestra Scott established herself by 1943 as a mainstay at Central Avenues Club Alabam along with master of ceremonies Wynonie Harris She sang with a group led by Lorenzo Flennoy during the mid-40s and soon began recording again first for the Hub label and then in 1947 for Excelsior In 1948 she toured and scored Billboard RB hits with Boogie Woogie Santa Claus and Elevator Boogie Scott married her pianist Charles Brown in 1949 -- this union would only last about three years She made a series of excellent sides for King Records in 1950 for Coral in 1951 with both Brunswick and Coral in 1952 and four sides for the Parrot label -- with King Kolax blowing trumpet -- in 1953 Touring Australia in 1955 she made her final recordings there for Festival Records backed by Les Welchs jazz band Disillusioned with the music business and unhappy after her second marriage Mabel Scott now returned to her gospel roots singing only in church for the rest of her long life She passed away in Los Angeles on July 19 2000 arwulf arwulf All Music Guide