Pha Terrell
Elmer "Pha" Terrell (May 25, 1910 in Kansas City, Missouri - October 14, 1945 in Los Angeles) was an American jazz singer. Terrell was working in nightclubs locally in Kansas City in the early 1930s as a singer, dancer, and emcee when he was discovered by Andy Kirk, who hired him to be the vocalist for his group the Twelve Clouds of Joy. Terrell sang with Kirk for eight years, from 1933 to 1941, and recorded with him extensively for Decca Records, singing hits such as 1936's "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" and 1938's "I Won't Tell a Soul (I Love You)". After 1941 Terrell moved to Indianapolis to play with Clarence Love's territory band, then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a soloist. Terrell died of kidney failure in 1945. |
Birth and Death Data: Born May 25, 1910 (Kansas City), Died October 14, 1945 (Los Angeles)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1940
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 55 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 64612 | 10-in. | 9/9/1938 | The gal that wrecked my life | Rodney Sturgis | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64613 | 10-in. | 9/9/1938 | Bless you, my dear | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64614 | 10-in. | 9/9/1938 | How can we be wrong? | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64615 | 10-in. | 9/9/1938 | Mess-a stomp-1 | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64642 | 10-in. | 9/2/1938 | Toadie toddle | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64643 | 10-in. | 9/2/1938 | won't tell a soul (I love you) | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64644 | 10-in. | 9/2/1938 | What would people say? | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64645 | 10-in. | 9/2/1938 | How much do you mean to me? | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64695 | 10-in. | 10/24/1938 | Breeze | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64696 | 10-in. | 10/24/1938 | Ghost of love | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64697 | 10-in. | 10/24/1938 | What a life | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64698 | 10-in. | 10/25/1938 | Sittin' around and dreamin' | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64699 | 10-in. | 10/25/1938 | What's your story, morning glory? | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64777 | 10-in. | 12/5/1938 | Honey | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64778 | 10-in. | 12/5/1938 | September in the rain | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64779 | 10-in. | 12/5/1938 | Clouds | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64782 | 10-in. | 12/6/1938 | Goodbye | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64784 | 10-in. | 12/6/1938 | But it didn't mean a thinq | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 64785 | 10-in. | 12/6/1938 | Say it again | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65188 | 10-in. | 3/16/1939 | You set me on fire | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65189 | 10-in. | 3/16/1939 | I'll never learn | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65250 | 10-in. | 3/23/1939 | S'posin' | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65251 | 10-in. | 3/23/1939 | I'll never fail you | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65252 | 10-in. | 3/23/1939 | Why don't I get wise to myself | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist | ||
Decca | 66877 | 10-in. | 11/15/1939 | I'm getting nowhere with you | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Terrell, Pha," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597.
Terrell, Pha. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597.
"Terrell, Pha." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Pha Terrell
Discogs: Pha Terrell
Allmusic: Pha Terrell
Grove: Pha Terrell
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Terrell, Pha, 1910-1945 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no98027661
Wikidata: Pha Terrell - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q965547
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/17425229
MusicBrainz: Pha Terrell - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/d8bf32da-09c6-492e-a3a4-4a83c3bd522d
ISNI: 0000 0000 4565 6928 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000045656928
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