Georgia Lee (singer)

Ramer Lyra "Dulcie" Pitt, who performed as Georgia Lee (1921 – 2010) was an Australian jazz and blues singer and actress from Cairns. She is credited with being the first Indigenous Australian artist to record blues songs with her album, Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under (1962).

Georgia Lee
Birth nameRamer Lyra Dulcie Pitt
Born(1921-02-22)22 February 1921
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Died23 April 2010(2010-04-23) (aged 89)
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
GenresPop, jazz, blues
Occupation(s)Singer, actress

Early life

Georgia Lee was born as Ramer Lyra "Dulcie" Pitt on 22 February 1921, her father, Douglas Pitt jnr (ca. 1877–1926) was of Jamaican, Scottish and Loyalty Islander descent and her mother, Myra Kemple-Hopkin's heritage was Afghani, Australian Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Scottish.[1][2][3] Her father, a fisherman, was a strong swimmer: he swam 25 miles (40 km) from a sinking lugger to shore during a cyclone off Cooktown in 1894.[3][4] Lee grew up in a musical family, her sisters Sophie and Heather were also singers, while her brothers Arthur and Walter were musicians.[1][2][3] She had no formal musical training, but "learns her songs by ear."[3]

Career

With her sisters Sophie and Heather Pitt, she formed the Harmony Sisters, often joined by her brothers Arthur and Walter, and performed as part of the United States Service Office Show, touring Queensland to entertain US troops during World War II.[3][5] One of these shows was described in October 1943, "Heather and Dulcie Pitt, sang two songs, accompanied by [two men] on guitars, and one of the sisters did a fascinating hula dance... [also] in the second half [they sang] two popular songs, and on both appearances they were most enthusiastically applauded."[6]

After the war she took the name Georgia Lee and moved south to work in the cities and later in the United Kingdom.[7] She performed and recorded with many artists and bands including Graeme Bell, Geraldo, Bruce Clarke, Port Jackson Jazz Band, George Trevare and the Max Williams Quintet.[2] On Good Friday in 1947, as Dulcie Pitt, she sang "If I Had You" on radio programme Sports Parade and "in response to [listeners'] demand, she was given a repeat engagement."[3][8] Thereafter she performed as Georgia Lee.[8] Her delivery of "Blue Heaven" with Bell for a concert at the Century Theatre, Newcastle in October 1948 was described as a highlight for which she "gained most favour."[9] During that year Lee was heard on Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC)'s radio programmes, Show Business (Mondays) and The Hit Parade (Wednesdays) backed by Jim Gussey's ABC Dance Band.[10]

In late 1953 the singer relocated to London and was contracted to Geraldo's dance band by the following March.[11] In December 1954 she declined a £2000 offer to renew her contract with Geraldo, preferring to sign with a new revue.[12] In 1957 she toured with Nat King Cole on his Australian tour.[13][7]

In 1961, she acted in the television play Burst of Summer for the ABC, adapted from Oriel Gray's stage play.[14]

She also performed on TV on Graham Kennedy's In Melbourne Tonight[2] and Bandstand.[15]

Lee is credited with being the first Indigenous Australian artist to record blues songs.[16] Her 1962 album Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under may have been only the second album to be released by an Australian woman[2] and was the first Australian album recorded in stereo. Arranged by Brian Martin, the album features Raphael Melevende on trumpet, Jack Glenn on trombone, Alec Hutchison on clarinet and tenor sax, Ron Rosenberg on piano, John Frederick on bass, Horrie Weems on guitar and Alan Turnbull playing drums. In 2009 it was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia registry.[15]

Death

Lee died on 23 April 2010, aged 89, in a Cairns nursing home.[17] Her niece, Wilma Reading, is a singer in her own right.[2]

Discography
  • "Graeme Bell Jazz Concert: Eps 1 and 5" (1949)
  • "Graeme Bell Jazz Concert: Eps 10 and 14" (1949)
  • "Graeme Bell Jazz Concert: Eps 19 and 23" (1949)
  • Bruce Clarke Quintones — "St Louis Blues" (1951) Jazzart
  • Bruce Clarke Quintones — "Blue Moon" (1951) Jazzart
  • "Johnny Angel (song)" sung by Georgia Lee (1960)
  • "It's A Lovely Day Tomorrow" (1961) Rex
  • Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under (1962) Crest

Filmography

References
  1. Neuenfeldt, Karl (2014). "'I Wouldn't Change Skins with Anybody' – Dulcie Pitt/Georgia Lee, a Pioneering Indigenous Australian Jazz, Blues and Community Singer" (PDF). Jazz Research Journal. 8 (1): 202–222. doi:10.1558/jazz.v8i1-2.26773. ISSN 1753-8637. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  2. Walker, Clinton (2000). "Last of the Red Hot Mammas". Buried Country: The Story of Aboriginal Country Music. Pluto Press. pp. 50–67. ISBN 1-86403-152-2.
  3. "Your Radio: Her Chance Came Out of the Blues". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. VIII, no. 22. Sydney, New South Wales. 13 April 1947. p. 10. Retrieved 7 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "In Cyclone and in Calm". Northern Herald. Vol. III, no. 37. Queensland, Australia. 19 December 1913. p. 35. Retrieved 7 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. Shnukal, Anna (2001). "Torres Strait Islanders". Multicultural Queensland 2001: 100 years, 100 communities, A century of contributions (PDF). The State of Queensland (Department of Premier and Cabinet).
  6. "A.C.F. Victory Show". Cairns Post. No. 12, 981. Queensland, Australia. 4 October 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 7 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. Courier Mail Northern stars
  8. Kessell, Norman (26 October 1947). "Your Radio". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. VIII, no. 50. Sydney, New South Wales. p. 30. Retrieved 7 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Jazz Recital at Century". The Newcastle Sun. No. 9595. 1 October 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 6 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Georgia Lee". Wodonga and Towong Sentinel. No. 3165. Victoria, Australia. 1 October 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 6 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Contract for Georgia Lee". The Barrier Miner. Vol. LXVII, no. 17, 615. New South Wales, Australia. 10 March 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 7 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Georgia Lee for Revue". Telegraph. Last Race. Brisbane, Queensland. 18 December 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 7 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. Jackson, Andra. "Georgia Lee's remarkable journey as a jazz singer". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  14. Vagg, Stephen (15 November 2020). "The Flawed Landmark: Burst of Summer". Filmink.
  15. National Film and Sound Archive Sounds of Australia registry Archived 11 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  16. "No Slippin' Away After ARIAs for Max Merritt". The Age. 7 July 2008. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  17. Jackson, Andra: Jazz singer Georgia Lee dies, The Age, 27 April 2010.
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