Della Griffin

Della Griffin (born June 12, 1925) is a jazz vocalist and drummer. Also known as Della Simpson, she was a member of two of the first all female R&B groups in the 1950s, The Enchanters and The Dell-Tones.

Della was born to William and Mary Gilliam and was the 19th out of 20 children. She was born in Newberry, South Carolina, but moved to New York City, where she grew up.

She greatly admired and was influenced by Count Basie, Charlie Barnet, and most specifically Billie Holiday. She began singing when she was 12, and while singing remained her passion she was also proficient on the drums, alto saxophone, and piano. She graduated in 1943 from Jamaica High School in Queens, NY, and began singing professionally a few years after.

In 1950, Della Griffin and Frances Kelley decided to form a singing group. The two women knew each other from working together in a factory that manufactured shoulder pads. They then added to the group Pearl Brice, Della's childhood friend, and Rachel Gist, a Harlem club soloist. Their friend Chris Townes became their instructor, arranger, pianist, and songwriter. The group played in small clubs whenever they could for about a year. In 1951, Della invited Jerry Blaine, the owner of Jubilee Records, to hear the group perform. Blaine was so impressed by the group that he signed them the next day. The first songs they recorded include, "Today is Your Birthday," "How Could You Break My Heart," "I've Lost," "Housewife Blues," and "You Know I'm Not in Love With You." In January, 1952 Jubilee released The Enchanters first record. The Enchanters began touring the country and received such a positive response that in 1952 Shaws Artist Corporation signed on to represent them. Also in 1952, Jubilee released the Enchanters second record. Not long after this Rachel Gist and Pearl Brice decided to leave the group.

Della Griffin and Frances Kelley were determined to continue their careers and replaced Rachel Gist and Pearl Brice with Gloria Alleyne and Sherry Gary from the group the Dorsey Sisters. With the new members the group took on a new name, the Dell-Tones, named after Della Griffin because she was the group's lead singer and drummer. Della Griffin was the first female drummer in a well-known group. Della's first of three husbands, Jimmy Simpson, managed the group and got them a recording deal with Coral's Brunswick subsidiary. There, in 1953, they recorded "Yours Alone" and "My Hearts on Fire". Without much of a response, the Dell-Tones decided to leave Brunswisck and signed on with Eddie Heller's Rainbow records. There they recorded "I'm Not in Love With You" and "Little Short Daddy." The group then went on the "Night Train Tour" with Jimmy Forrest. Frances Kelley, Gloria Alleyne, and Sherry Gary all decided to leave the Dell-Tones and they were replaced by Algie Willie, Shirley Bunnie Foy and Renee Stewart. With the new members, the Dell-Tones signed with sol Rabinowitz's Baton records and recorded "Don't Be Long," "Baby Say You Love Me," "My Special Love," and "Believe It." In 1955 Stan Pat, previous member Gloria Alleyne's new manager, signed the Dell-Tones. They then did a tour of Canada. Afterwards Gloria Bell and original member Chris Townes left the group. The Dell-Tones merged with Sonny Til and his group The Orioles and the new group contained Della Griffin, Sonny Til, Della's second husband Paul Griffin, Diz Russell, Jerry Holeman, Aaron "Tex" Cornelius, Billy Adams, Shirley "Bunnie" Foy, Renee Stewart, and Algie Willie. The new group performed in several New York City clubs and recorded, "Voices of Love" and "I'm so Lonely" in 1957. After this time, The Dell-Tones slowly began to drift apart and Della left to perform on her own.

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