Jeanne Lee: All About Ronnie

December 10, 2015

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

The song All About Ronnie has an interesting history. The song was written by Joe Greene, who worked extensively for Stan Kenton during the 1940s and 50s, when the band was in constant need of original vocal material. Lyricist Greene typically wrote quasi-novelty tunes, such as I Been Down in Texas, Across the Alley From the Alamo, And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine and And the Bull Walked Around, Olay! All About Ronnie (written with Eddie Beal) was a departure. [Photo above of Jeanne Lee]

Vocalist Jerri Winters [pictured with Stan Kenton, in middle, above] was the first to take a shot at the song with Kenton in March 1952, but the studio side arranged by Johnny Richards wasn't issued (though a live version was recorded and turned up later). She left the band in May.

Then Kenton had Bill Russo wrote an arrangement of the song for singer Chris Connor in April 1953, and the single became a hit. [Photo above of Joe Greene and Eddie Beal]

Here's what Chris told me when I interviewed her in 2008...

"JazzWax: Was it nerve-wracking singing with Kenton in 1953?
"Chris Connor: Oh yes, my goodness. During an April recording date, our second studio session, Joe Greene, the songwriter, was there. He had written this song they wanted me to sing. I had never heard the song before. The band rehearsed me for about an hour. Then Stan told me the band was going to record it. I thought I was going to die. I didn’t know how I was going to get through that song. But I did, and All About Ronnie turned out pretty good." [Photo above of Chris Connor]

Chris recorded the song again in Aug. 1954 after leaving Kenton, this time with the Ellis Larkins Trio on a session for Bethlehem Records, with Creed Taylor producing. She recorded it once more in 1959, first in the studio for Atlantic (a track that wasn't issued) and then several days later live at the Village Vanguard on Chris in Person for the label. Chris's recording of the song while with Kenton was so strong, it became signature and no other singer bothered to cover it until 1962, when singer Pat Thomas recorded it.

Then in 1963, singer Jeanne Lee (pictured above in 1992) sang a highly unusual, expressive version at the Antibes Jazz Festival, with just Ran Blake on piano. Lee had been performing with Blake since 1961. Both had attended Bard College together in the 1950s. After she and Blake recorded The Newest Sound Around in Nov. 1961, the pair became popular in Europe, where Lee's semi-abstract vocal approach was more fully appreciated.  

Lee died in 2000. Chris Connor died in 2009. Jerri Winters is still with us. And Blake is still active (go here).

JazzWax clips: Here's the illustrated evolution of All About Ronnie...

Here's a site that's selling an album called Stan's Singers. If you sample #13, you'll hear a bit of Jerri Winters' live version with the Johnny Richards arrangement. 

Here's Bill Russo's arrangement of the song with Chris Connor in 1953...

Here's Chris with the Ellis Larkins Trio in 1954...

And here's Jeanne Lee's take with Ran Blake...

Used with permission by Marc Myers