Hazel Meyers was an American classic
female blues and country blues singer. She spent most of her career in black
vaudeville, although on recordings she was billed as a blues artist. Her
more famous numbers included 'Heartbreaking Blues' and 'Blackville After
Dark', both sung in her contralto voice.
Biography
Meyers' recording career composed of a total of forty-one sides, the
majority waxed between September 1923 and August 1924. She saw her output
released by several record labels, including Ajax, Brunswick (issued under
the Vocalion banner) Pathė, Banner, Bell, and Emerson, with her final couple
of releases appearing on Okeh in June 1926. Meyers had gramophone record
releases on six different labels in 1924. Her accompanists variously
included Fletcher Henderson, Porter Grainger, James 'Bubber' Miley, Leslie
'Hutch' Henderson and Don Redman, plus on one recording, Fats Waller.
Meyers' tracks included the first female vaudeville artist recording of the
satirical song, 'Black Star Line', released in May 1924. The song was
recorded by both Meyers and Rosa Henderson within a twenty four hour period.
One source speculated that Meyers also recorded under the pseudonyms of Mae
Harris for Domino, and Louella Smith for Oriole.
Meyers appeared in vaudeville throughout the 1920s. Detailed information is
not available, but she did appear in Steppin' High, a variety show staged in
Harlem, New York, where she was backed by the orchestra of Fletcher
Henderson. More generally, she is believed to have made regular appearances
in the theater until the early 1930s.
However, little is known of life outside of her professional engagements.
Meyers entire recorded work was made available in 1996 by Document Records.
