Ethel Boswell

Akron, early 1950s - 1990s

May 1964 ad

Ethel Boswell was regarded as Akron's "First Lady of Jazz". Based on longevituy, that title is deserved, as she performed locally for nearly 50 years. 

Her obituary says she was born in Tennessee and moved to Akron in 1941. A newspaper article from 1988 says she started singing professionally in 1948.

The earliest listing we could find for her was in 1953, the ad from the Trocadero.

She recorded her only record in 1955. The record was recorded for Vulcan records in Birmingham, Alabama. Vulcan, along with Pennant records, had a direct connection to NE Ohio though Richmond Lowe. The songs were written by Jimmie Wilcher from Akron. Wicher was a band leader and drummer who played locally. There is very little information we could find about him (or the rest of the band) other than he moved to Boston in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Wilcher and the band were probably familiar to Lowe, who had also been a dance band leader and managed the Ralph Wilson band, who also recorded for Pennant.

The Vulcan 45 was Ethel's only known recordings. She spent the next 40 years playing regional clubs. In the early 1960s she was the featured singer for Count Jenkins' band. Her career seems to have moments of varying activity, as from the late 1960s until the late 1970s there are few mentions of her name in the club ads. Around 1977 her activity increased with regular shows at the Bank in Akron, a club best known for its incarnation as a punk/new wave club nuturing the "Akron Sound". 

October 1964 ad for a Canton club

She passed away in 1999, age not given, but seems to be about 70-75 years old. She had been married to James Blanks for 52 years at the time.

Undated picture from her obituary

Discography:
No More For You / Don't Add To The Upset - Vulcan 1026 (alternate number 304/5), 1955