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Alberta Hunter at age eighty-four
Here is the youtube DEBUT of the charming Alberta Hunter (April 1, 1895 -- October 17, 1984), the American-born singer, composer, and actress. In 1923 she wrote a hit song with Lovie Austin called "Down Hearted Blues," which Hunter recorded with great success on the old Paramount label. Bessie Smith subsequently recorded it for Columbia Records and it has remained in the catalogues now for over eighty years. In the theatre, she appeared in the first London production of "Show Boat," along with Paul Robeson. She was featured performer in the short-lived J.C. Johnson musical "Change Your Luck" (George M. Cohan Theatre) in 1930. On Broadway she also appeared in "Mamba's Daughters" (Empire Theatre, 1939-40), which co-starred Ethel Waters, Canada Lee, Anne Brown and J. Rosamund Johnson. In 1954 she understudied several roles in the musical "Mrs. Patterson" (National Theatre), starring Eartha Kitt. After a dormant period in her life, when she practiced nursing, she reemerged as the toast of Manhattan when she appeared at The Cookery in the late 1970s. She made many appearances on television (including Dick Cavett's excellent show) and radio discussing her career and the legends with whom she worked.