Vaughn De Leath - Blue Skies

Vaughn De Leath (née Leonore Vonderlieth, 1894 - 1943) was a famous female radio jazz singer who gained popularity in the 1920s and became known as "The Original Radio Girl" and "First Lady of Radio". She was also one of the early crooners. De Leath's vocals ranged from soprano to deep contralto and easily adapted to the Jazz and radio age in the 1920s. She had performed on the New York stage in the early to mid 1920s, but radio became her first love. In 1922 she began recording on different labels, including Edison Records. In 1928, she appeared on an experimental television broadcast and later became a special guest for the debut broadcast of Voice of Firestone Radio Hour. Her obituary in the New York Times incorrectly said she was 42 when she died, but she was actually 48. Prior to her death, she had considerable financial difficulty, complicated by the drinking problem which contributed to her early death. This lovely record was made in 1927.