1950
MILLION DOLLAR SECRET * HELEN HUMES * MODERN OLDIES * USA
Helen Humes was born in Louisville Kentucky in 1913, some sources say that she cut a batch of ten Blues records when she was only thirteen years old, others have her first recordings in New York for the Harry James Band, on Brunswick. After leaving Harry James she sang vocals with The Count Basie Band, on Decca, Vocalion, Okeh and Columbia. After the war Helen Humes began singing R&B for Savoy, Black & White and other post war independent labels. Million Dollar Secret was recorded live at Gene Norman's big Rhythm & Blues Summer Jamboree at the Shrine Auditorium, also on that bill was PeeWee Crayton and Dinah Washington, the song, with backing by The Roy Milton band, taken from that jamboree was released in the autumn as a 78 RPM on Modern 20-779, and became one of her biggest sellers. There was also a sort of answer record from the Treniers on OKeh.
OLD WOMAN BLUES * THE TRENIERS * OKEH 6826 * USA