Florence Mills

Hello Folks one of the things I love doing is reading over the internet specifically following links from page to page. Anyway I came across a wonderful link for a black entertainer named florence mills http://www.florencemills.com/.

 I have been very curious about this very talented and beautiful black entertainer from back in the day. Florence Mills was born in Washington DC in a section called goat alley which actually is about a 15 minute bike ride from this spot where I sit blogging at this moment.   I believe her signature song was Bye Bye Black Bird, unfortuanately she died very young and didnt get the chance to imprint her essence on the entertaimement and black history scene long enough to be a household name amongst black people , although she should be. I will be recording essays from websites blogs and articles to bring this black american all star to life. I will also be adding my own commentary about times, events and places named on this page. I hope you enjoy. Just copy and past the folling links into a browser.  Until then enjoy this reading from the above website.

Florence Mp3 Pt1  http://www.markbey.com/mills1%2001.mp3

Florence Mp3 Pt2  http://www.markbey.com/mills22%2001.mp3 

 Florence Mp3 Pt 3     www.markbey.com/mills3.mp3 

Here is an  audio interview with Florences Husband Ulyses “Slow Kid” Thompson  http://www.florencemills.com/us_thompson_on%20_florence_mills_early_career.mp3 

This is a recording  called “Anything Just happens to me”  by her sister Olivia Mills Wiltshire http://www.florencemills.com/anything_that_happens_just_pleases_me.mp3 

This here is an interview by Eubie Blake who live to the ripe old age of over 100.  Eubie Blake remembered her into old age. http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/saloon/blake.html\

Here  is an interview with Hyacinth Curtis who knew her and saw her perform in England http://www.florencemills.com/hyacinth_curtis_on_florence_mills.mp3

 Maude Rusell  (The Slim Princess)Maude Russell (The Slim Princess)

Although thier are no actual recordings of Florence Mills this is a recording of a song she made famous on the stage sung by Eva Taylor http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/williams/imalittle.ram

Songs written and recorded in tribute to Florence Mills

http://www.florencemills.com/elegiac_blues_solo.ra

http://www.florencemills.com/may_we_meet_again_florence_mills.ra ( Recorded by Eva Taylor and Clarence Williams) http://www.florencemills.com/all_the_world_is_lonely.ra (Andy Razaf, lyricist for “Ain’t Misbehavin”, “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Black and Blue” )

http://www.florencemills.com/bye_%20bye_florence_mills.ra (Bert Howell vocal, with organ accompaniment by Fats Waller, the nearest thing we have to Fats’ lost personal tribute - he gets joint composer credits on this one)

http://www.florencemills.com/she’s_gone_to_join_the_songbirds_in_heaven.ra (Eva Taylor again, one of Florence’s staunchest friends and admirers, composed by Porter Grainger who wrote “Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do”)

Her is a song Duke Ellington wrote in her memory called Black Beauty http://redhotjazz.com/songs/ellington/blackbeauty.ram