Tekoa, Washington (February 27, 1907 -December 12, 1951) 44 yrs

Mildred Bailey was among the first female singers. She made a name for herself in the American pantheon of jazz. She managed to capture the subtleties of the era’s African American blues and ragtime music. Bailey early on developed her own unique way to underline the meaning of the words she sang. She performed with some of the finest musicians of the swing era. These included Benny Goodman, Paul Whiteman, Coleman Hawkins, and Red Norvo. He was her husband for most of the 1930s.