Edna Hicks
Encyclopedia
Edna Hicks was an American
blues
singer and musician
. She is best remembered for her recordings of "Hard Luck Blues" and "Poor Me Blues".
Born Edna Landreaux in New Orleans, Louisiana
, United States
, she was the half sister of Lizzie Miles
. She is believed to have moved north in her mid-teens. Popular in Black vaudeville in the American
midwest in the late 1910s and 1920s, she appeared often in Chicago
and Cincinnati, and made recordings for seven different record label
s in 1923 and 1924: Victor, Vocalion
, Columbia
, Gennett
, Brunswick
, Ajax, and Paramount Records
. Her most frequent accompanist was Fletcher Henderson
, although recordings also used Porter Grainger
and Lemuel Fowler.
In August 1925, while assisting her husband in filling their automobile's gasoline tank, she was burned after splashed gasoline was ignited by a candle she was holding. She died in the Chicago hospital two days later, on August 16, 1925. She was 29 years old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
singer and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. She is best remembered for her recordings of "Hard Luck Blues" and "Poor Me Blues".
Born Edna Landreaux in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, she was the half sister of Lizzie Miles
Lizzie Miles
Lizzie Miles was the stage name taken by Elizabeth Mary Landreaux , an African American blues singer.-Career:...
. She is believed to have moved north in her mid-teens. Popular in Black vaudeville in the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
midwest in the late 1910s and 1920s, she appeared often in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Cincinnati, and made recordings for seven different record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s in 1923 and 1924: Victor, Vocalion
Vocalion Records
Vocalion Records is a record label active for many years in the United States and in the United Kingdom.-History:Vocalion was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Piano Company of New York City, which introduced a retail line of phonographs at the same time. The name was derived from one of their...
, Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, Gennett
Gennett Records
Gennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....
, Brunswick
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
, Ajax, and Paramount Records
Paramount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
. Her most frequent accompanist was Fletcher Henderson
Fletcher Henderson
James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr. was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. His was one of the most prolific black orchestras and his influence was vast...
, although recordings also used Porter Grainger
Porter Grainger
Porter Grainger was an African-American pianist, songwriter, playwright, and music publisher.-Biography:...
and Lemuel Fowler.
In August 1925, while assisting her husband in filling their automobile's gasoline tank, she was burned after splashed gasoline was ignited by a candle she was holding. She died in the Chicago hospital two days later, on August 16, 1925. She was 29 years old.