Bman's Blues Report

Esther Mae Jones (December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) who performed as Little Esther and as Esther Phillips, was an American singer; she performed in the pop, country, jazz, and rhythm and blues fields, including soul music. Born in Galveston, Texas, she entered an amateur contest in 1949 at Johnny Otis’s Barrelhouse Club in Los Angeles. Otis was so impressed that he recorded her for Modern Records and added her, billed as Little Esther, to his travelling revue, the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan. Her first hit record was “Double Crossin’ Blues,” recorded in 1950 for Savoy Records. After several hit records with Savoy, including “Mistrustin’ Blues,” “Misery,” “Cupid Boogie,” “Wedding Boogie,” “Far Away Christmas Blues,” and “Deceivin’ Blues”, she left the company in 1951 after a dispute over royalties. She later left Otis’s revue. She had no further hits until 1962, after being re-discovered by Kenny Rogers. After signing with Rogers’ brother’s record label, Lenox Records, sh...