Vera Hall
Encyclopedia
Adell Hall Ward, better known as Vera Hall (April 6, 1902 – January 29, 1964) was an American
folk
singer, born in Livingston, Alabama
, United States
. She is best known for her song "Trouble So Hard" (1937).
John Avery Lomax, ethnomusicologist, met Hall in the 1930s and recorded her for the Library of Congress
. Lomax wrote that she had the loveliest voice [he] had ever recorded. The BBC
played Hall's recording of "Another Man Done Gone" in 1943 as a sample of American folk music
. The Library of Congress played the song the same year in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation
. In 1945, Hall recorded with Byron Arnold. In 1984, the recordings were released as a collection of folk songs entitled "Cornbread Crumbled in Gravy".
In 1948, with the help of Alan Lomax
, Hall traveled to New York and performed on May 15 at the American Music Festival at Columbia University
. During the course of this trip, Lomax interviewed Hall on several occasions, later stating "Her singing is like a deep-voiced shepherds flute, mellow and pure in tone, yet always with hints of the lips and the pleasure-loving flesh... The sound comes from deep within her when she sings, from a source of gold and light, otherwise hidden, and falls directly upon your ear like sunlight. It is a liquid, full contralto, rich in low overtones; but it can leap directly into falsetto and play there as effortlessly as a bird in the wind."
Hall died in January 1964 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
.
Today, her work still garners attention. Prized by scholars and folksong enthusiasts, Halls recordings include examples of early blues and folk songs that are found nowhere else.
for a performance at Columbia University in 1948 and assembling Rainbow Sign, a book based on Hall's life and stories.
Moby
's 2000 single "Natural Blues
" is essentially an extended remix of the song "Trouble So Hard" (1937).
A historical marker in Hall's honor was dedicated on April 21, 2007 in Livingston.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer, born in Livingston, Alabama
Livingston, Alabama
Livingston is a city in Sumter County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 3,297. The city is the county seat of Sumter County.-Geography:Livingston is located at .According to the U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She is best known for her song "Trouble So Hard" (1937).
Biography
Hall grew up near Livingston, Alabama. Hall sang her entire life, her mother and father, Agnes Efron and Zully Hall, taught her songs such as "I Got the Home", "In the Rock", and "When I'm Standing Wondering, Lord, Show Me the Way". Hall married Nash Riddle, a coal miner, in 1917 and gave birth to their daughter, Minnie Ada. Riddle was killed in 1920. In the late 1930s Hall's singing gained national exposure.John Avery Lomax, ethnomusicologist, met Hall in the 1930s and recorded her for the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
. Lomax wrote that she had the loveliest voice [he] had ever recorded. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
played Hall's recording of "Another Man Done Gone" in 1943 as a sample of American folk music
American folk music
American folk music is a musical term that encompasses numerous genres, many of which are known as traditional music or roots music. Roots music is a broad category of music including bluegrass, country music, gospel, old time music, jug bands, Appalachian folk, blues, Cajun and Native American...
. The Library of Congress played the song the same year in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
. In 1945, Hall recorded with Byron Arnold. In 1984, the recordings were released as a collection of folk songs entitled "Cornbread Crumbled in Gravy".
In 1948, with the help of Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
, Hall traveled to New York and performed on May 15 at the American Music Festival at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. During the course of this trip, Lomax interviewed Hall on several occasions, later stating "Her singing is like a deep-voiced shepherds flute, mellow and pure in tone, yet always with hints of the lips and the pleasure-loving flesh... The sound comes from deep within her when she sings, from a source of gold and light, otherwise hidden, and falls directly upon your ear like sunlight. It is a liquid, full contralto, rich in low overtones; but it can leap directly into falsetto and play there as effortlessly as a bird in the wind."
Hall died in January 1964 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
.
Today, her work still garners attention. Prized by scholars and folksong enthusiasts, Halls recordings include examples of early blues and folk songs that are found nowhere else.
Legacy
Lomax's son, Alan, also championed Vera Hall – bringing her to New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for a performance at Columbia University in 1948 and assembling Rainbow Sign, a book based on Hall's life and stories.
Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
's 2000 single "Natural Blues
Natural Blues
"Natural Blues" is a song by American electronica musician Moby, released as the fifth single from his 1999 studio album Play. It samples "Trouble So Hard" by American folk singer Vera Hall. It was first released in the UK, where it peaked at number eleven....
" is essentially an extended remix of the song "Trouble So Hard" (1937).
A historical marker in Hall's honor was dedicated on April 21, 2007 in Livingston.