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In 1921, an unheralded teenager named Adelaide Hall appeared as just another hoofer in the chorus line for the musical Shuffle Along. A scant seven years later, her role in the Broadway revue Blackbirds of 1928 —the most famous of the series of Blackbirds revues mounted during the 1920s and 30s— brought her international fame.

Hall’s stage performance in that production—in which the newcomer performed alongside legendary tap dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson—attracted international media attention. It also launched the song “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”—just one of the many beloved tunes that members of the public would come to associate with Adelaide Hall.

The singer also earned renown for her innovative phrasings. Her wordless singing on Duke Ellington’s recording of “Creole Love Call” prefigured the scat singing later made famous by Ella Fitzgerald. (In scat singing—sometimes called mouth music—the voice is used to mimic various jazz instruments, notably the trumpet, trombone, and saxophone.)

The Music of Adelaide Hall [click a title below to play] “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” “Creole Love Call” “Drop Me Off in Harlem”

Hall went on to perform regularly with jazz greats such as Art Tatum and Fats Waller, and performed at venues throughout the United States and Europe before settling in Britain. She established her own nightclubs in London and Paris, and continued to perform in European nightspots for more than 50 years.

Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning

Eric Friedman 
Director, Digital Learning

Kenny Neal 
Manager, Digital Education Resources

Tiffany A. Bryant 
Manager, Operations and Audience Engagement

JoDee Scissors 
Content Specialist, Digital Learning

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Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Bank of America; Capital One; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of New York; The Ednah Root Foundation; Harman Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The Kiplinger Foundation; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; The Markow Totevy Foundation; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives;

Prince Charitable Trusts; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Jackie Washington; GRoW @ Annenberg and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family; Wells Fargo; and generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts..

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