1948-1950

Be-Baba-Le-Ba was THE big hit for Helen Humes and paved her way to success in the late '40s and well into the early '50s. Several of her best from the "R&B years" are included on this CD which opens with a further Mercury session. These tracks show the sublime side of the singer. The following date with a studio band led by Marshall Royal stresses both aspects of her artistry, the ballad and "Be-Baba-Leba" facets. In Aug. 1950 Helen appeared on Gene Norman1s "Blues Jubilee Concert" at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Fortunately, parts of this event were preserved and issued on Modern Records. Backed by Roy Milton's eminently popular combo of the time, Ms. Humes belted out a number of excellent blues. "Million Dollar Secret" became a smash hit.