Community Corner
Local Women in History: Ivie Anderson
Ivie Anderson is a Gilroy native who became popular in the mid-1920s as a singer and dancer, who later performed in Duke Ellington's band and several motion picture films.
March is National Women’s History Month, and Patch is teaming up with the Gilroy Historical Society and the Gilroy Museum to bring some amazing local women to the forefront. Throughout the month, we’ll look at women from all walks of life who made a difference despite of the oppression facing them.
Today, we’re featuring Ivie Anderson, 1903-1948. Ivie is a Gilroy native who made it to the big screen. She performed in several motion picture films and was in Duke Ellington's band.
Ivie was born in Gilroy in 1903 and is presumed to be of one of the few black families living in Gilroy at that time. Her family lived at 363 Old Gilroy St.
Ivie began studying music at the age of 9 at . By the time she was 16, she received a scholarship to the Nannie Burroughs Girls School, a black finishing school, in Washington D.C.
She took voice lessons for two years from Sarah Ritt after graduation and was discovered in San Francisco in 1922 by the dance team of Fanchon and Marco. She made her singing debut at Tait’s in Los Angeles a year later, after touring with the revue for nearly a year as a dancer. She joined Duke Ellington’s band as a singer in 1929.
Ellington helped Ivie develop her singing style and stage presence and wrote many songs for her, including "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," “I’ve Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good,” "Chocolate Shake," “All God’s Chillun Got Rythm” and “Troubled Waters.”
She acted in several motion pictures and made numerous recordings in 1930. She retired in 1942 after marrying Los Angeles real estate developer Walter Collins, but sang occasionally with Duke Ellington’s band when it toured through L.A.
She died at her home on Dec. 27, 1948 from a bronchial infection.
Listen to Ivie's music on the YouTube video to the right of this article.
