The Swing Shift Shuffle is a radio program of swing, big band, jazz, boogie woogie and other popular music from the 1930's and 40's that airs every Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (US Central Time) on WEVL 89.9 FM in Memphis, Tennessee, with a live webcast at wevl.org. In addition to the radio show, this blog is dedicated to all aspects of the Swing Era, including art, automobiles, cartoons, comics, history, movies, music, news, science, technology, and anything else that happened during that time. It also includes announcements about events in the Memphis/Mid-South area related to the Swing Era, such as classic movies, concerts, dances, lectures, etc. If you see something that fits the description, send it to me at tim@wevl.org. If you would like more information about the radio show, just go to the Radio Show FAQ page.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Hattie McDaniel

Since the Oscars are this weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to point out a very interesting article on actress Hattie McDaniel on TCM's Movie Morlocks blog.  Best known for her portrayal of "Mammy" in Gone With The Wind, Ms. McDaniel was a strong and sparkling personality.  She was the first African-American to win an Academy Award, beating Hollywood superstar and GWTW costar Olivia De Havilland for best actress.  She was also the first African-American woman to sing on radio in America.  Below is a clip from Thank Your Lucky Stars featuring her singing talents in "Ice Cold Katie." 

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