Viola Bartlette Explained

Viola Bartlette was an American blues singer and actress,^[1] who recorded on Black Swan Records and Paramount Records. She was from Baltimore.^[2] Bartlette recorded under the pseudonym Ida Lewis for Silvertone Records.^[3]

She often was a backup singer for Lovie Austin^[4] and accompanied Lovie Austin's Blue Serenaders band and Blythe's Sinful Five on records.^[5] Johnny Dodds accompanied Bartlette on recordings made in the 1920s. Clarinetist Jimmy O'Bryant backed her on session recordings during 1923 to 1926. She also recorded with Kid Ory.^[6]

Discography

• "Tennessee Blues" (1925)^[7]
• "Go Back Where You Stayed Last Night" (1925) by Lovie Austin's Blue Serenaders^{[5] [8]}
• "Walk Easy 'Cause My Papa's Here" (1926), by Viola Bartlette with Cobb's Paramount Syncopators, Paramount
• "Shake That Thing" (1926) written by Papa Charlie Jackson^{[8] [9]}
• "Anna Mina Forty And St. Louis Shorty" (1926) by Jimmy Blythe / Blythe's Sinful Five^[5]
• "Quit Knocking on My Door" (1926) by Blythe's Sinful Five^[5]
• "Sunday Morning Blues" (1926)^[10]
• "You Don't Mean Me No Good" (1926)^[10]
• "Out Bound Train Blues" (1926)^[10]
• "You Can Never Tell When Your Perfectly Good Man Will Do" (1926) by Viola Bartlette with Punch Miller^[11]

Notes and References

1. News: Local Girl Recording . November 1, 2020 . Baltimore Afro-American . September 11, 1926 . 5. .
2. Web site: Currin . Grayson . Various Artists: The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Volume One (1917-1932) . Pitchfork.com . November 1, 2020 . November 22, 2013.
3. Book: Sutton . Allan . A Guide to pseudonyms on American records, 1892-1942 . 1993 . Greenwood Press . 978-0-313-29060-2 . 29 . November 1, 2020.
4. Book: The Harlem Renaissance: a historical dictionary for the era . 1984 . Greenwood Press . 978-0-313-23232-9 . November 1, 2020.
5. Book: Dixon . Robert M. W. . Blues & gospel records, 1902-1943 . 1982 . Storyville Publications . 978-0-902391-03-1 . 61 . November 1, 2020.
6. Book: Yanow . Scott . Classic Jazz . 2001 . Backbeat Books . 978-0-87930-659-5 . 68, 176 . November 1, 2020.
7. Eagle . Bob . Directory of African-Appalachian Musicians . Black Music Research Journal . 2004 . 24 . 1 . 50 . 10.2307/4145499 . 4145499 . November 1, 2020 . 0276-3605.
8. Web site: Stomp Off Records Index. Stompoff.dickbaker.org. June 15, 2023.
9. Book: Nick Tosches. Where Dead Voices Gather. 1 August 2009. Little, Brown. 978-0-316-07714-9. 89.
10. Web site: Illustrated Blind Blake discography. Wirz.de. June 15, 2023.
11. Web site: Illustrated Herwin Records discography. Wirz.de. June 15, 2023.