Emma Barrett
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Biography
Emma Barrett, born March 25, 1897 in New Orleans, Louisiana, was an American self-taught jazz pianist and singer. She began playing piano at age seven and joined Oscar Celestin's Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra in the early 1920s. In 1961, Barrett released her debut album The Bell Gal And Her Dixieland Boys, gaining recognition as part of the Riverside Records New Orleans: The Living Legends series. She was nicknamed "Bell Gal" for her distinctive red skull cap and garters with Christmas bells that jingled in time with her music. Barrett collaborated with notable musicians, including William Ridgely, Armand Piron, John Robichaux, and Sidney Desvigne. She also toured extensively with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, including a stint at Disneyland in 1963. Despite suffering a stroke in 1967 that paralyzed her left side, Barrett continued to perform until her death on January 28, 1983, at age 85.
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