Georgia Lee | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ramer Lyra Dulcie Pitt (1921-02-22)22 February 1921 Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
| Died | 23 April 2010(2010-04-23) (aged 89) Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
| Genres | Pop, jazz, blues |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress |
Ramer Lyra "Dulcie"Pitt, who performed asGeorgia Lee (1921 – 2010) was an Australian jazz andblues singer and actress fromCairns. She is credited with being the firstIndigenous Australian artist to record blues songs with her album,Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under (1962).
Georgia Lee was born as Ramer Lyra "Dulcie" Pitt on 22 February 1921, her father, Douglas Pitt jnr (ca. 1877–1926) was ofJamaican,Scottish andLoyalty Islander descent and her mother, Myra Kemple-Hopkin's heritage wasAfghani,Australian Aboriginal,Torres Strait Islander and Scottish.[1][2][3] Her father, a fisherman, was a strong swimmer: he swam 25 miles (40 km) from a sinkinglugger to shore during a cyclone offCooktown in 1894.[3][4] Lee grew up in a musical family, her sisters Sophie and Heather were also singers, while her brothers Arthur and Walter were musicians.[1][2][3] She had no formal musical training, but "learns her songs by ear."[3]
With her sisters Sophie and Heather Pitt, she formed the Harmony Sisters, often joined by her brothers Arthur and Walter, and performed as part of the United States Service Office Show, touring Queensland to entertain US troops duringWorld War II.[3][5] One of these shows was described in October 1943, "Heather and Dulcie Pitt, sang two songs, accompanied by [two men] on guitars, and one of the sisters did a fascinating hula dance... [also] in the second half [they sang] two popularsongs, and on both appearances they were most enthusiastically applauded."[6]
After the war she took the name Georgia Lee and moved south to work in the cities and later in theUnited Kingdom.[7] She performed and recorded with many artists and bands includingGraeme Bell,Geraldo,Bruce Clarke,Port Jackson Jazz Band, George Trevare and the Max Williams Quintet.[2] On Good Friday in 1947, as Dulcie Pitt, she sang "If I Had You" on radio programmeSports Parade and "in response to [listeners'] demand, she was given a repeat engagement."[3][8] Thereafter she performed as Georgia Lee.[8] Her delivery of "Blue Heaven" with Bell for a concert at the Century Theatre,Newcastle in October 1948 was described as a highlight for which she "gained most favour."[9] During that year Lee was heard onAustralian Broadcasting Commission (ABC)'s radio programmes,Show Business (Mondays) andThe Hit Parade (Wednesdays) backed byJim Gussey's ABC Dance Band.[10]
In late 1953 the singer relocated to London and was contracted to Geraldo's dance band by the following March.[11] In December 1954 she declined a£2000 offer to renew her contract with Geraldo, preferring to sign with a new revue.[12] In 1957 she toured withNat King Cole on his Australian tour.[13][7]
In 1961, she acted in the television playBurst of Summer for the ABC, adapted from Oriel Gray's stage play.[14]
She also performed on TV onGraham Kennedy'sIn Melbourne Tonight[2] andBandstand.[15]
Lee is credited with being the firstIndigenous Australian artist to record blues songs.[16] Her 1962 albumGeorgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under may have been only the second album to be released by an Australian woman[2] and was the first Australian album recorded in stereo. Arranged by Brian Martin, the album features Raphael Melevende on trumpet, Jack Glenn on trombone, Alec Hutchison on clarinet and tenor sax, Ron Rosenberg on piano, John Frederick on bass, Horrie Weems on guitar and Alan Turnbull playing drums. In 2009 it was added to theNational Film and Sound Archive'sSounds of Australia registry.[15]
Lee died on 23 April 2010, aged 89, in a Cairns nursing home.[17] Her niece,Wilma Reading, is a singer in her own right.[2]
