Viola Bartlette

Viola Bartlette was an American blues singer^[1] and actress,^[2] who recorded on Black Swan Records and Paramount Records. She was from Baltimore.^[3] Bartlette recorded under the pseudonym Ida Lewis for Silvertone Records.^[4]

She often was a backup singer for Lovie Austin^[5] and accompanied Lovie Austin's Blue Serenaders band and Blythe's Sinful Five on records.^[6] Johnny Dodds accompanied Bartlette on recordings made in the 1920s. Clarinetist Jimmy O'Bryant backed her on session recordings during 1923 to 1926. She also recorded with Kid Ory.^[1]

Discography

• "Tennessee Blues" (1925)^[7]
• "Go Back Where You Stayed Last Night" (1925) by Lovie Austin's Blue Serenaders^[6][8]
• "Walk Easy 'Cause My Papa's Here" (1926), by Viola Bartlette with Cobb's Paramount Syncopators, Paramount^[9]
• "Shake That Thing" (1926) written by Papa Charlie Jackson^[8][10]
• "Anna Mina Forty And St. Louis Shorty" (1926) by Jimmy Blythe / Blythe's Sinful Five^[6]
• "Quit Knocking on My Door" (1926) by Blythe's Sinful Five^[6]
• "Sunday Morning Blues" (1926)^[9]
• "You Don't Mean Me No Good" (1926)^[9]
• "Out Bound Train Blues" (1926)^[9]
• "You Can Never Tell When Your Perfectly Good Man Will Do" (1926) by Viola Bartlette with Punch Miller^[11]