Irene Armstrong Wilson Kitchings (c. 1908 - March 4, 1975) was anAfrican-Americanjazz pianist, band leader, and songwriter. She performed as both a solo act and with bands. Kitchings co-wrote the songs "Some Other Spring", "Ghost of Yesterday", and "I'm Pulling Through", all of which were recorded byBillie Holiday.

Irene Kitchings was born Violet Irene Armstrong inMarietta, Ohio.^[1][2] Her birth year is either 1903 or 1908. As a child, she lived in Muncie, Indiana, with her parents and sister, Grace. She moved toDetroit at age 13 to live with an aunt. Her mother taught her to play piano as a child.^[2]

By age 18, Kitchings was living inChicago and performing in jazz clubs as both a solo jazz pianist and a member of various bands. She sometimes used thestage name Irene Armstrong Edie. One band led by Kitchings included musiciansBudd Johnson,Walter Fuller, andDolly Jones.^[2]

Kitchings married jazz pianistTeddy Wilson around 1931. The couple moved to New York in 1934 where Wilson joined the Benny Goodman Trio.^[2] Kitchings ceased performing after moving to New York.^[3]

Kitchings met and became friends with Billie Holiday after the two women were introduced by Wilson. After Kitchings divorced Wilson, Holiday introduced her to songwriter and composer,Arthur Herzog, Jr.. Together, Herzog and Kitchings wrote "Some Other Spring", a song that was first recorded by Holiday. Two of their other songs, "Ghost of Yesterday," and "I'm Pulling Through", were also recorded by Holiday.

Kitchings, who suffered fromEale's Disease, fell ill and moved toCleveland to stay with an aunt. While in Cleveland, she met and married Elden Kitchings, learned to play the organ, and became active in her church.^[1][2]

Kitchings died in 1975.^[1]

Writers and historians often confuse Kitchings withIrene Higgenbotham, an African-American songwriter and pianist who also wrote songs that were performed by Billie Holiday.^[1]

Jazz vocalistCarmen McRae credited Kitchings as a mentor.^[4]

• Some Other Spring, written by A. Herzog and I. Kitchings as performed by Billie Holiday

• African-American jazz composers
• American women jazz pianists
• 1900s births
• 1975 deaths
• American jazz pianists
• American jazz composers
• African-American pianists
• 20th-century African-American musicians
• African-American women pianists

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Pages where birth or death is being automatically determined
• Articles with hCards