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Rushing, James Andrew "Jimmy"

August 26, 1903 -- June 8, 1972
vocalist

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Known as "Mr. Five by Five," Jimmy Rushing was born in Oklahoma City to a musical family. His father played trumpet and his brother and mother were vocalists. Rushing toured the Middle West and California in 1923-24.

Jimmy Rushing
image link
Jimmy met Walter Page while working with the Billy King Revue, and in 1927 Rushing joined Page's Blue Devils. Two years later, he joined in the exodus of Blue Devils to the Bennie Moten band, bringing that band a strong blues vocal style. Rushing's voice soared above the reeds and brass in the band.

After Moten's death in 1935, Rushing opened with Count Basie at the Reno Club. He remained Basie's featured vocalist until 1948. During his tenure with the Basie band, Rushing provided a constant link to the Kansas City jump blues tradition with his performances of "Sent For You Yesterday" real audio and "Boogie Woogie" real audio.

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Sources:
Chilton, John.
Who's Who of Jazz, Storyville to Swing Street. Philadelphia: Chilton Book Company, 1972.
Hester, Mary Lee.
Going to Kansas City. Sherman, Texas: Early Bird Press, 1980.
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