Ina Ray, née Odessa Cowan Hutton (1916-1984)

Ina Ray Hutton led the Melodears, one of the first all-female swing bands to be recorded and filmed.  She passed as white throughout her musical career, as the leader of several bands from the 1930s through the 1960s.  But when Hutton was a child, United … Read MoreIna Ray, née Odessa Cowan Hutton (1916-1984)

Evelyn Bundy Band (ca. 1926)

Formed in 1926, the Evelyn Bundy Band was one of the earliest and most influential local jazz ensembles to contribute to the Seattle, Washington jazz scene. Evelyn Bundy, who played piano, drums, saxophone, banjo, and occasionally sang, was born in Seattle into a musical family.  … Read MoreEvelyn Bundy Band (ca. 1926)