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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZHIBBLER, Al(b 16 Aug. '15, Little Rock AR; d 24 April 2001, Chicago) Singer with a deep, unforgettable baritone voice. With Jay McShann ('Get Me On Your Mind'), then Duke Ellington '43-51: 'Don't You Know I Care?', 'I'm Just A Lucky So And So', 'I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues', 'Pretty Woman', 'Strange Feeling' (from the Perfume Suite '45), all on Victor; on Columbia: 'I Like The Sunrise' from Liberian Suite, 'Don't Be So Mean Baby ('Cause Baby's So Good To You)' (written by Peggy Lee and Dave Barbour), classic versions of 'Don't Get Around Much Any More' and 'Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me', all '47; 'Good Woman Blues' '49, etc. He was the most popular male singer Ellington ever had. They worked out a method of bringing Hibbler to the microphone, their shoulders touching, and leaving him in just the right place so that it was not obvious that the singer had been born blind. He recorded 'Solitude' with Billy Strayhorn; went solo, recorded with Count Basie, Johnny Hodges etc on Norgan/Mercury/Verve (10-inch LPs plus Mercury single 'It Must Be True'/'No Greater Love'), solo on Aladdin ('S'posin''), Decca ('Unchained Melody' was no. 5 '55). Album After The Lights Go Down Low on Atlantic (tracks from '50-56), another on Reprise/Discovery '61 with Gerald Wilson's band; Early One Morning '64 on LMI with a piano trio, For Sentimental Reasons '82 on Open Sky with Hank Jones, Buddy Tate, Milt Hinton and Oliver Jackson. |