| Intro | American jazz singer |
| Was |
Jazz musician Singer |
| From | United States of America |
| Type | Music |
| Gender | female |
| Birth | 21 March 1929, Edwardsville |
| Death |
21 May 2005 (aged 76 years) |
Lucille “Billie” Poole (21 March 1929 in Edwardsville, Illinois – 21 May 2005) was an American jazz and blues singer.
Life and achievements
Billie Poole moved to California with her family in 1943, where she founded choirs. She had performances with them in numerous concerts around San Francisco. In 1954 she went to France and acted in the German/French movie “The heroes are tired/Les héros sont fatigués”. Besides she sang spirituals and Jazz. In 1959 she made recordings with Art Simmons, supported by Clark Terry, Elek Bacsik, Michel Gaudry and Kenny Clarke. On 30 August 1961 she had a live TV-appearance in the German programme “Jazz gehört und gesehen” (Jazz for listeners and viewers) hosted by Joachim-Ernst Behrendt). alongside Humphrey Littleton and Eric Dolphy
After an appearance in Cologne in that year, a recording with the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band was planned, but had to be cancelled as Poole had to return to the US.
In 1962 her first album Sermonette for Riverside was published. She sang with pianist Jimmy Jones and orchestra. Her second album Confessin’ the Blues (1963) featured Junior Mance, Kenny Burrell, Bob Cranshaw and Mickey Roker).
In 1968/1969 Billie Poole was back in France and performed with Memphis Slim. In her last years she sang with her sister Betty Gadling, who led a choir called Allen Temple Baptist Church Mass Choir (Hand in Hand).
Discography
- Sermonette (with Jimmy Jones & Orchestra, 1961–62)
- Confessin’ the Blues (with Junior Mance, Kenny Burrell, Bob Cranshaw und Mickey Roker, 1963)