Jazz singer, bandleader and composer. Early female band leader in the 1930s, widely considered the first female leader of an all-male orchestra, and the older sister of entertainer Cab Calloway. She studied music at Morgan State College (now Morgan State University) before dropping out to pursue a career in show business. Her big break came in 1923 when offered a part in a musical touring company. Her vocal talents quickly made her a spotlight entertainer, and she began working nightclubs across the country. In the mid- and late 1920s she recorded for Okeh and Vocalion, including a 1925 session with Louis Armstrong. She also worked with her brother.
Jazz singer, bandleader and composer. Early female band leader in the 1930s, widely considered the first female leader of an all-male orchestra, and the older sister of entertainer Cab Calloway. She studied music at Morgan State College (now Morgan State University) before dropping out to pursue a career in show business. Her big break came in 1923 when offered a part in a musical touring company. Her vocal talents quickly made her a spotlight entertainer, and she began working nightclubs across the country. In the mid- and late 1920s she recorded for Okeh and Vocalion, including a 1925 session with Louis Armstrong. She also worked with her brother.
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