Valaida (Valaida Snow)

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Valaida (Valaida Snow) was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1903 and was part of a musical family along with her sisters, the similarly named Alvaida and Lavaida. She turned professional entertainer at the age of 15. During the 1920s she was part of various musical reviews including the Sissle-Blake show "The Chocolate Dandies" that toured the United States and then went overseas. During the 1930s she was a big part of the touring revue "Blackbirds" and then the famous Noble Sissle-Eubie Blake musical show "Rhapsody In Black". Valaida Snow even appeared in some feature films in the late 1930s that were made for Black audiences, and she also did extensive touring with the Will Mastin Trio.

Valaida then went on an extended tour of Europe in 1939. Not keeping informed of the deteriorating situation in Western Europe in the early nineteen forties, resulted in a devastating event in the life of Valaida Snow. While appearing in Denmark with her all-girl orchestra, she was taken prisoner by the army of Nazi Germany and sent to a concentration camp named Wester-Faengler. She remained in captivity for nearly two years until she was freed in a prisoner swap with the allied forces. She returned to New York and attempted to put her life back in order again.

Yet, the psychological and physical trauma had a deep effect on the life of her and she was never the same again. She tried to get her performing talent back together and regain her fame as an arranger, vocalist, and trumpet stylist. But in June 1956 Valaida dies of a cerebral hemorrhage backstage at the Palace Theater in New York.




If Josephine Baker was known for shocking people in Europe for her transgression and freedom, Valaida shocked them in the USA, with her eccentric behaviour. She travelled in an orchid coloured Mercedes, dressed in an orchid suit, her per monkey rigged out in an orchid jacket and cap, with the chauffeur in orchid as well. She lived an intense life and enjoyed it, even if she bore the trouble and and the tragic side that haunt many greats. She made the front page news for her glorious endevours as well as for her downfalls.

„My Heart Belongs To Daddy" is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1938 musical „Leave It To Me" where it was introduced by Mary Martin. The song contains one of Porter's most obscure lyrics, one of several rhymes for "daddy" - in which the singer talks about her "fine finnan haddie," a Scottish term for smoked haddock. Referring specifically to the melody, the famous performer and actor Oskar Levant -- born in orthodox Jewish family - described it as "one of the most Yiddish tunes ever written" despite the fact that "Cole Porter's genetic background was completely alien to any Jewishness."

Recording: Valaida Snow (vocal & trumpet) -- My Hart Belongs To Daddy (Cole Porter), Decca 1939

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NAME: Valaida Snow

BIRTHDATE: c. June 2, 1903/05/09

BIRTH PLACE: Chattanooga, Tennessee

DATE OF DEATH: May 30, 1956

PLACE OF DEATH: New York, New York

FAMILY BACKGROUND: Valaida Snow was born into a family of musicians: Her mother taught Valaida, her sisters Alvaida and Hattie, and her brother, Arthur Bush, how to play multiple instruments. Valaida and all her siblings became professional musicians. Valaida married twice: first, to dancer Ananias Berry from the Berry Brothers dancing troupe and then to performer and producer Earle Edwards.

EDUCATION:
Valaida Snow was taught by her mother to play cello, bass, violin, banjo, mandolin, harp, accordion, clarinet, saxophone and trumpet.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
It was natural for Valaida Snow to be an entertainer: at the young age of fifteen, she was already a recognized professional singer and trumpet player. While Valaida Snow's beauty attracted audiences, it was her incredible talent as a jazz trumpeter which truly captivated them. She obtained the nickname, "Little Louis" due to her Louis Armstrong-like playing style. Valaida toured and recorded frequently in the United States, Europe and the Far East both with her own bands and other leaders' bands. During the years 1930 through 1950 Alvaida could be seen with various jazz greats: With her sister, Lavaida, a singer, she performed in the Far East with drummer Jack Carter's jazz octet. She took part in a session with Earl Hines in New York in 1933 and also performed with Count Basie, Teddy Weatheford, Willie Lewis and Fletcher Henderson at various places and times.

As an actress, she debuted on Broadway in 1942 as Mandy in Eubie Blake and Noble Sissles's musical Chocolate Dandies. Later, she appeared on Broadway in Ethel Waters' show, Rhapsody in Black in 1934; she appeared in the London production of Blackbirds in 1935 with Johnny Claes and also in its Paris production. She could be seen in Liza across Europe and Russia in the 30's and was also in the Hollywood films Take It from Me in 1937, Irresistible You and L'Alibi and Pieges in 1939 with her husband Ananais Berry.

After headlining at the Apollo Theater in New York, Valaida returned to Europe and the Far East to perform. World War II had begun and Valaida was arrested by the Germans for theft and misuse of drugs. She was held for 18 months between 1940 and 1942 at Wester-Faengle, a Nazi concentration camp. She was subsequently released as an exchange prisoner in unstable health. Although this imprisonment greatly affected her physical and psychological health, she resumed performing and appeared at several prestigious engagements. It was at this time that she married producer Earl Edwards.

In the 1930's Valaida Snow's style was characterized by a contagious energy and spark. The 1940's showed a Valaida with a deep blues feeling known and admired for her tremendous breadth and depth of talent. Her rare talent was as much a curiosity as it was admired: as a woman, she was an aberration in a male dominated jazz world. She made her last performance at the Palace Theater in New York in 1956 and died that year on May 30th of a cerebral hemorrhage.

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