Ernie Andrews: (1927-2022)

Ernie Andrews, one of the last Black male blues and pop crooners from the 1950s who was a frequent performer at Central Avenue clubs in Los Angeles and whose dry, romantic style was a favorite of jazz fans and musicians, died on February 24. He was 94.

Born in Philadelphia in 1927, Ernie's mother sent him to live with her mother in Jeanerette, La., when he was 11. His mother and father had split up and his mother couldn’t look after him. He remained in Louisiana for six years before moving to Los Angeles in 1944, where he joined his mother. He was 15. 

I interviewed Ernie at length two years ago for my new book, Rock Concert. We talked about the rise of jump blues concerts in the city on Central Avenue, the main thoroughfare running through the vibrant Black community. Here's an excerpt from his narrative:

After high school and over the weekends, I worked as an usher at the 2,000-seat Lincoln Theatre, one of Central Avenue’s major concert halls. When I was seventeen, I was promoted at the Lincoln to head usher. Amateur nights, on Wednesdays, were packed. Everyone who was trying to break into show business would appear. I sang on those nights in my uniform. After each performance, you’d wait for Pigmeat Markham or Bardu Ali or Sybil Lewis to come out and hold a hand over your head. If the audience didn’t like you, they’d let you know it, and you’d have to get off. But they loved me, and I’d be onstage so long that Pigmeat and Dusty Fletcher would have to cut me off to let others get on.

After a promising start, Ernie's recording career slowed in the 1950s, either because he chose not to tour or he was eclipsed by many other Black romantic pop singers such as Al Hibbler, Billy Eckstine, Joe Williams, Arthur Prysock and O.C. Smith. Ernie's career was revived in 1958 when he joined Harry James's road band and toured with the orchestra until 1967. In 1962, he recorded Live Session! (Capitol) backed by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco. He recorded his final album in 2013.

Here are 10 of my favorite tracks by Ernie:

Here's one of Ernie's first recordings, Green Gin, in 1945, on the newly formed Gem label with Clara Lewis (p), Leonard “Lucky" Enois (g) and Red Callender (b)...



Here's Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' on the G&G label with Earl Porter (as), Wilbert Baranco (p) and Charles Mingus (b) in 1945 ...



Here's Ernie singing Don't Lead Me On, from his album In the Dark, recorded in August 1956 with an orchestra arranged and conducted in Los Angeles by Benny Carter...



Here's Ernie's first live date with Harry James, at the Chicago Blue Note in November 1958, singing Song of the Wanderer...



Here's Ernie singing She's Got to Go with Harry James in 1959...



Here's Ernie singing On a Clear Day You Can See Forever from This Is Ernie Andrews in 1964, backed by the Tyrone Parsons Quartet...



Here's Ernie singing Little Girl Blue, with the Harry James Orchestra at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1965...



Here's I'm Just a Lucky So and So, backed by Jerome Richardson (ts), Jimmy Jones (p), Kenny Burrell (g), Stan Gilbert (b) and Jimmie Smith (d) from Burrell's Ellington is Forever Vol. 2, in late 1975...



Here's Ernie singing If I Were You Baby, I'd fall in Love With Me, from Jump for Joy in 2002, with Houston Person (ts) Aaron Graves (p) John Webber (b) Alvin Atkinson (d)...



And here's Ernie with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra singing Beautiful Friendship live at the Alvas Showroom in San Pedro, Ca., in September 2013...



Bonus: Here's the full Cannonball Adderley album...



Here's Ernie singing How About Me, with Houston Person (ts), Phil Wright (p,arr), Terry Evans (g), Richard Simon (b) and Frank Wilson (d), from the High Note album How About Me in 2005...