Lyrics | Artists | Lovie Austin

Lovie Austin

Lovie Austin, born Cora Calhoun on September 19, 1887, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was an American session musician, composer, singer and bandleader. She started her career in vaudeville shows before moving to Chicago in 1923, where she made her first studio recording with Ida Cox. Austin became known for accompanying notable singers like Ma Rainey and Alberta Hunter on recordings for Paramount Records. Her composition "Down Hearted Blues", co-written with Alberta Hunter, became a hit when recorded by Bessie Smith in 1923. In the early 1930s, Austin served as musical director at t...