Ernie Andrews

Ernie Andrews
Ernie Andrews, left, and Dexter Gordon at KJAZ, Alameda, California, December 1980
Background information
Birth name	Ernest Mitchell Andrews Jr.
Born	December 25, 1927 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres	Blues, jazz, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Labels	GNP, Capitol, Dot, GNP Crescendo, Discovery, Muse, HighNote
Associated acts	Harry James

Ernest Mitchell Andrews Jr.,^[1] known professionally as Ernie Andrews (born December 25, 1927) is an American jazz, blues, and pop singer.

Career

Ernie Andrews was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, but grew up in Los Angeles,^[2] and is said to have been discovered by songwriter Joe Greene in 1945. Greene wrote his biggest hit, "Soothe Me".^[3]

Andrews was a member of the Harry James orchestra, debuting on November 26, 1958 at the Blue Note jazz club in Chicago. He recorded with Columbia Records and others.^[2] His career declined in the 1960s and 1970s but would rebound in the 1980s. He recorded with the Capp/Pierce Juggernaut Band, Gene Harris, Jay McShann, and the Harper Brothers. Andrews played a leading part in the documentary film, Blues for Central Avenue.^[4]

Discography

As leader

• In the Dark (GNP, 1957)
• The Importance of Being Ernest (GNP, 1959)
• Live Session! Cannonball Adderley with Ernie Andrews (Capitol, 1965)
• This Is Ernie Andrews (Dot, 1967; CD reissue: Verve, 2005)
• Soul Proprietor (Dot, 1968)
• Ernie Andrews Sings with the Fuzzy Kane Trio (Phil-L.A. of Soul, 1970)
• Travelin' Light (GNP Crescendo 1975) compilation
• Hear Me Now! (LMI, 1979)
• Sings from the Heart (Discovery, 1981)
• No Regrets (Muse, 1993; CD reissue: 32 Jazz, 1998)
• The Great City (Muse, 1995)
• The Many Faces of Ernie Andrews (HighNote, 1998)
• Girl Talk (HighNote, 2001)
• Jump For Joy (HighNote, 2003)
• How About Me (HighNote, 2005)
• The L.A. Treasures Project with Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Barbara Morrison (Capri, 2014)

As sideman

With Kenny Burrell

• Ellington Is Forever (Fantasy, 1975)
• Ellington Is Forever Volume Two (Fantasy, 1977)

With The Capp/Pierce Juggernaut Band

• Frank Capp-Nat Pierce Orchestra: Juggernaut (Concord, 1977)
• Juggernaut Strikes Again! (Concord, 1982)

With Harry James

• "Blue Baiao" b/w "She's Got to Go" (45rpm single, MGM, 1959) Andrews sings on the B-side^[5]
• Live at the Riverboat (Dot, 1966)^[6]
• Our Leader! (Dot, 1967)^[7]
• Duke Ellington, Harry James, Herb Pomeroy, Jon Hendricks (Europa Jazz, 1981).^[8] Live with Harry James & His Orchestra at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1965
• One Night Stand with Harry James at the Blue Note (Joyce, 1983)^[9]

With others

• Bob Cooper and Snooky Young, In a Mellotone (Contemporary, 1986)
• Lionel Hampton, Live at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre (Phillip, 1998) 2-CD
• The Harper Brothers, You Can Hide Inside the Music (Verve, 1992)
• Gene Harris & the Philip Morris Superband, Live at Town Hall, N.Y.C. (Concord, 1989)
• Gene Harris & the Philip Morris All-Stars Live (Concord, 1998)
• Al Hibbler, I Surrender Dear (Score [Aladdin subsidiary], 1957)
• Plas Johnson, Christmas in Hollywood (Carell, 2000)
• Saskia Laroo, Sunset Eyes 2000 (Laroo, 1999)
• The Legacy Band, The Legacy Lives On (Mack Avenue, 2000)
• Jay McShann & the Paris All-Stars, Paris All-Star Blues: A Tribute to Charlie Parker (MusicMasters/BMG; Musical Heritage Society, 1991)

References