Ella Mae Morse (September 12, 1924 – October 16, 1999) is one of the most under-rated singers of the golden age of American music. A hit-maker by the age of 18 (‘Cow Cow Boogie’), she recorded prodigiously through the 1950’s. She was one of the few band singers to incorporate both jazz and country music into her style (Kay Starr also comes to mind).

Most current biographies speak of Morse’s ‘charted hits’ and her ‘50’s covers of R&B songs. She’s praised for her contribution to the development of Rock & Roll whose popularity, ironically, would drive her kind of music out of fashion.

Although Morse excelled as an interpreter of jazz and classic American pop songs, she had little chance to prove it during a recording career that ended in 1957. Only a couple dozen jazzy sides and one LP of standards survive.

Just listen to the 1947 recording of ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’. You‘ll hear jazz singing every bit as joyous and swinging as the ‘other’ Ella, Fitzgerald. Note the subtle play on rhythm in h