The Boswell Legacy: The Story of the Boswell Sisters of New Orleans and the New Music They Gave to the World - Softcover

Titus, Kyla; Minnerly, Chica Boswell

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1502350912 ISBN 13: 9781502350916

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014

Synopsis

WILL FRIEDWALD, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, OCT. 16, 2014: “...the Boswells constitute a crucial link between Armstrong and Fitzgerald in the development of vocal improvisation.” ---------------------------------------------------------- The Boswell Sisters rose to stardom during the Great Depression and established an enormously successful career in a very short time as pioneers of early mass entertainment, through the new media of electrical recordings, radio networks, and movies. Along with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, they led an American jazz “invasion” of Europe in 1933. They were admired by their frequent singing partner Bing Crosby, idolized by a struggling trio from Minneapolis who later gained fame as the Andrews Sisters, and praised as “the best act I ever followed” by a trouper named Bob Hope. Ella Fitzgerald consistently credited Connie Boswell as her main influence and Irving Berlin singled her out as his favorite interpreter of his songs. The beautiful and talented Boswells sold out stage shows from New York to London and the number of records they sold is estimated to be over 75 million. Then suddenly, it was over. The time has finally come to tell their story. THE BOSWELL LEGACY is the first full-scale biography of these icons of American music, written by Kyla Titus, the granddaughter of Vet Boswell and caretaker of the voluminous Boswell family archives, as only she can tell it. Within these pages, readers may discover the answers to questions left unanswered for decades. Why did the Boswell Sisters disband? What was the cause of Connee’s paralysis? Why are the Boswell Sisters not household names today? And so many more. Most importantly, readers will learn about the development of a unique musical style that is timeless—a legacy—that is still heralded almost a century later.

About this title

About the Author

Kyla Titus spent most of her early life in the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, the beaches of Fire Island, and the manicured lawns at her grandmother’s (Vet Boswell’s) house in Peekskill, New York. She worked as a computer programmer and documentation analyst and writer, before deciding to raise her children near her mother’s farm in central New York. She also worked in the fields of journalism and special education, and has a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies and communications. When her mother, Chica, retired, Kyla helped her catalog, preserve, document, and research their Boswell family legacy, along with longtime family friend and music historian David McCain. Kyla fit this in part time while caring for her three children, including one who was severely disabled and very ill for most of the twelve years of his life. Shortly after he passed away, Chica became chronically ill. Chica gave Kyla her research and writings before she passed away in 2010, and asked her to carry on the family legacy and write the book on their lives. Since then, Kyla consulted on both the Historic New Orleans Collection Boswell Sisters exhibit and the Joshua Tree Productions public television documentary and devoted her time to multiple projects furthering awareness of the "World's Foremost Harmony Singers" and their innovative "Boswell Sound." A major highlight of these efforts came in the form of a symposium in New Orleans in October 2014 that brought together artists from around the world to share in an educational and musical exchange.

Edition details

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1502350912
• ISBN 13: 9781502350916
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 203
• Editor: Von Schilling James