Mahalia's piano player : Mildred Falls

[Marc 'embee' Borms]

Have been reading a 'Mahalia Jackson' biography these days and
noticed that most of her concerts where accompanied by Mildred Falls.

Any more info available about this lady?

embee

[Eric LeBlanc-CISTI]

Dear Blues-l(land)

Mildred Falls? Now, someone should investigate this
lady's background. I've tried and came up with nothing.
I was lucky to see them together (early 61) and can vouch
for her playing. It is known that she & Mahalia did not get
along - and was payed "peanuts" when she toured/recorded
with Mahalia. It's as if Mildred 'owed' Mahalia.
Her other keyboard accompanist Louise Overall Smothers Weaver
(1916-1990) and Ralph E. Jones (1924-1975) were also important
to her sound. The 1996 duo CD of Mavis Staples & Lucky Peterson
(Verve 533 562-2 MAVIS STAPLES & LUCKY PETERSON - Spitituals & Gospel :
Dedicated to Mahalia Jackson) is an good example of how
Mildred & Mahalia played together.

Finally, Westside Records (UK) will be issuing a 3CD set this
September of her Complete Apollo Recordings - considered her best
recordings.

eRIC (now back from holidays, conferences, etc)

Embee said:

I remember that she was scared to death to appear at the Newport Jazz
Festival in (I think) '58. She also apparently had a few quiet thoughts of
Sodom and Gomorrah when Mahalia sang "Keep Your Hand on the Plow" with
Ellington's hornmen booting it along behind her. ;-)

- TSJ

[P.W. Fenton]

At 01:20 PM 7/29/1998 Eric LeBlanc-CISTI said,

>Dear Blues-l(land)
>
>Mildred Falls? Now, someone should investigate this
>lady's background. I've tried and came up with nothing.
>I was lucky to see them together (early 61) and can vouch
>for her playing. It is known that she & Mahalia did not get
>along - and was payed "peanuts" when she toured/recorded
>with Mahalia. It's as if Mildred 'owed' Mahalia.

Somewhere I read that they were "live-in" companions, and the article
hinted strongly that they were perhaps lovers. That could account for the
poor pay and stormy relations. I know that the few times my wife did some
work for me, she didn't get payed at all, and we fought like cats and dogs
the whole time ;^)

BTW, I have a CD full of her Apollo recordings and they are great, but I
think the two Columbia boxes are every bit as good, and they are FULL of
Mildred's piano.

P.W. Fenton
Tampa, Florida
When surfing the net visit the Tomb of the Unknown Bluesguy
http://www.gate.net/~pwfenton