b. March 15, 1905 in Charleston, SC, d. May 7, 1950 in New York City, NY. Bertha Hill was in showbusiness as a singer and dancer aged 14, when she claimed to have stolen the show from Ethel Waters. Nicknamed for her youth and small stature, she settled in Chicago in the 20s. Her dark, hard voice was especially suited to blues, and good trumpeters seemed to inspire her; her finest recordings are those with King Oliver and Louis Armstrong. She retired in the late 20s after marrying, but was persuaded to return to singing and recording for the growing white jazz audience in the mid-40s. Still a fine singer, she was a success at the 1948 Paris Jazz Festival, but a promising second career was ended by a hit-and-run driver.
