“Salt Papa Blues”—Dinah Washington (Ruth Lee Jones)

Alabama born Ruth Lee Jones (1924-1963) began her vocal career singing in a baptist church choir where her mother, with whom she had moved to Chicago, played the piano.

Ruth soon expanding to blues songs and eventually the 15-year-old girl won an amateur contest at the Regal Theater on the South side of Chicago in 1939. The following years she toured as a pianist and singer.

One of Ruth's engagement was in the upstairs room of Joe Sherman's Garrick Stage Bar in Chicago. At the same time Billie Holiday was appearing in the downstairs room of the club.

It was also at the Garrick Stage Bar that Lionel Hampton and his manager Joe Glaser heard Ruth for the first time.

Glaser later claimed he gave Ruth the stage name "Dinah Washington". But she herself credited Joe Sherman had suggested the name-change before Hampton and Glaser came to see her.

In mid-February 1943 Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra opened at the Apollo Theatre in New York.

Just before he opened the Apollo engagement, Hampton was looking for a female singer to replace his vocalist Lois Arnetta and he send for Dinah.

Dinah Washington signed a 10-year contract for $75 a week with the orchestra of Lionel Hampton.

Much of the success of Hampton's record breaking week at Harlem's Apollo Theatre may be attributed to Dinah Washington, the 19-year old delineator of blues and popular song who sang with the band that week for the first time. Hampton's Chicago addition was as sensational at the piano as she was before the mike.

At the time, Hampton recorded for Decca studios. Despite Hamp's promises to Dinah, Decca never wanted to include her songs into the recording sessions.

British-born pianist and writer Leonard Feather, however, did see potential in Hampton's new vocalist and wrote a few blues songs for her.

Record store owner Eric Bernay, who had founded the Keynote label, set up a recording session in Los Angeles on December 29, 1943 for Dinah Washington and a small group from the Hampton band: Joe Morris-trumpet; Arnette Cobb-tenor sax; Roddy Rutherford-clarinet; Milton Buckner-piano; Vernon King-bass; and Fred Radcliffe-drums.

This is Leonard Feather's "Salty Papa Blues."