In celebration of the reincarnation of rocknyc, I’m going to give a nod to one of my favorite vocalists. Not that she’s been birthed again (that I know of) — in body or in style. And I don’t know if her way with a tune will ever be duplicated. But, I’d like to shine a klieg light on her memory and illuminate those not fortunate enough to have heard of her. Let’s rewind. The “Perfect” Record Girl. Had she not hit the bottle and instead hit the stage to sing “Ten Cents A Dance” on Broadway with Ed Wynn in “Simple Simon”, Ruth Etting would’ve been out of a signature song. No – not Etting – Lee Morse — The Little Girl With The BIG Voice. Damn. Lee. One of the most unique voices ever to be recorded resided squarely in the 1920’s and 30’s. You know when people say about singers –- “she doesn’t look how she sounds’ — there’s an implication of disproportion in the volume vs. mass department. In her case, a more apt description of her arresting essence cannot be found. She wasn’t all about looks though -– her weight in gold was her wit and spirit; a way with picking (a guitarist she was), and a way with picking her band. The Dorsey (Tommy and Jimmy) Brothers and Benny Goodman all wore the title of a Bluegrass Boy. Small. Powerful. A lady with an opinion. You can hear it in her interpretations. Tellin’ like she thought it was. Her brother, Senator Glen Hearst Taylor of Idaho, author of “Telling It Like It Was With Me” (published in 1979) told a tale of 3 year old Lee (Lena) being showered with gold pieces at her stage debut. The family raked in 500.00 that night. (Circa 1900, that was something — well… even in today’s market — given the gold standard.) The 1920’s — both the recording quality of those vacuum tubes and “electrolas” and the general stylistic approach of the performers had an unmistakable sound, and for a time Lee Morse was at the top of the heap of “jazz” vocalists of the female persuasion. But, to hear her, one would wonder if the recording was being played at half speed. In 1923, la femme vocal in “Hitchy-Koo” review from Kooksia, Idaho appeared in vaudeville and was part of the cast of “Artists and Models” at the Schubert on NYC’s Great White Way. Outta her way! Five feet never sounded so deep — her trills and yodels enchante(use)d the crowds. What probably started with stage fright ended with the all too common alcoholic plight; tippling turned to tossin’ ‘em back and Ms. Morse’s career coded, eclipsed by a lesser personality when she failed to hit the stage that night in 1930. She became another far-from-casual casualty in the list of artists and musical models and prototypes lost to stimulants. One of the more unique voices (I must say) that I’ve turned an ear to hear. I wonder if a certain Ms. Virginia Hensley ever heard of Lee Morse while she was growing up in Winchester, WV. Wouldn’t surprise me one bit.