Ivie Anderson, sometimes called Ivy (July 10, 1905 to December 28, 1949), was a jazz singer and performer. He is best known for his performances with Duke Ellington’s orchestra in 1931 and 1942. Anderson was born in Gilroy. She was well-known for her sweet singing voice and popularity with Ellington’s group. In Bundle Of Blues (1933), her performance of “Stormy Weather”, was overshadowed by Lena Horne’s rendition of the song in Horne’s film Stormy Weather (1943). Anderson was the most respected vocalist Ellington ever hired. This marked a shift in Ellington’s attitude towards vocalists over his long career as a bandleader. Anderson also sang in the Marx Brothers movie A Day at the Races (1937), and the same year in Hit Parade of 1937 (as Ivy Anderson). Anderson also featured in other Ellington songs, including “It Don’t Mean a Thing(If it Ain’t Got That Swing),” “My Old Flame”, “When My Sugar Walks Down the Street”, “Mood Indigo”, and “Rocks in My Bed”.
