Vinyl: photo Tiny Davis Ernestine trumpet jazz band signed Bruno Hollywood lesbian RARE International Sweethearts of Rhythm Hell Divers female

* Signed photo of orchestra leader Tiny Davis with her trumpet, I believe from Chicago, 1960, also signed by band including Helen P. Cole and Maurine Smith.

* I have looked and not found any other copy of this photo of Tiny, though the leopard print outfit is in other photos. Great matching shoes!

* 8 X 10 Glossy black & white by Bruno of Hollywood NYC of Tiny Davis, Decca Recording Artist, Managed by Joe Glaser, Associated Booking Co. NY. Back says Thanks for Credit, by Bruno of Hollywood, see faint scan. This is the original. It has more grey tones than the scan, which looks a bit beige or sepia.

* Condition very good, shiny but a couple flaws. No serious bend anywhere. Various small scratches and indents …. Barely visible. Small bends on top left corner. And smaller ones on other corners. Bottom over her ankle on right and a bit on floor is yellowing hue…from developing? Also a similar spot under Maurine’s signature. Not sure how these got there. Please see my scans, the bottom discolouration is under the spider adaptor, with another scan showing the spot.

* Please ask me questions, and I can provide more photos.

* Ernestine “Tiny” Davis (1907-1904) was a jazz trumpeter, known as the “female Louis Armstrong” with all-women interracial International Sweethearts of Rhythm in the 1940s and in the mid-40s formed Tiny Davis and her Hell Divers. The International Sweethearts was formed out of the Mississippi Piney Woods School.

* She and her lesbian partner musician Ruby Lucas later opened a bar in Chicago called Tiny and Ruby’s Gay Spot. It folded in 1958 to make room for an expressway. A movie was made about this couple in 1988.… they were together for more than 40 years. Also recently the subject of several articles exploring her identity as African American, female and gay.

* As for this photo, it is signed by four band members to my mother, Thelma, who visited Chicago only once, in 1960. Tiny was still playing around Chicago.

* Their names seem to be Helen the drummer, who is likely Helen P. Cole, Eileen “Basie” Chance bass fiddle ?, and the fourth is Maurine Smith on piano.

* Blurb on Helen P. Cole from an ancestery website “ Later Sweethearts of Rhythm star trumpet player the late Ernestine Tiny Davis took over the group, which was booked by Joe Glaser. As Tiny Davis Hell-Divers, the combo toured fourteen countries. The group consisted Tiny Davis on trumpet, Maurine Smith on piano and Helen Cole on drums. In all Helen spent twenty-five years in combos, winding up as a duo with pianist Maurine Smith. When Maurine died in 1971, Helen returned to business school to complete her accounting degree. She returned to Denison to live and worked as a switchboard operator, then a bookkeeper with a local bank until her retirement.”

* Tiny’s hits included How ‘Bout that Jive, Race Horse, Basin Street Blues, Draggin’ my Heart Around, Bug Juice. Her 45s and International Sweethearts of Rhythm records are hard to find.

* Winner pays $6.00 postage to Canada or the USA. Overseas $10.00 Canadian (about $7.25 US).

* Satisfaction guaranteed. Please ask questions. Good luck and thanks for your interest.