63:"War March of The Priests" on piano at the convocation. During her time in New York in the late 1940s leading up to her first public appearances and first commercial recordings in 1949, she recorded two sides on shellac at Nola Recording Studios. Nola was a popular local local rehearsal venue which also offered private recording services for artists and bands. This non-commercial recording only came to light in 2022 pursuant to a media donation to the Internet Archive for the purposes of digitization and historical record.
86:'s contemporary concerts, including at Soldier Meyer's Brooklyn Bop House, the Pomp Room, the Sing Song Room of the Confucius Restaurant, and the Town And Country Restaurant. Initially billed as "Reta" Moss, her first 4 sides on shellac were released in January 1950 on Futurama Records, a local label run by Main Stem record store owner Arthur Bangel. Bangel formed Futurama to cut jazz, blues and rhythm, including artists involved in Feathers' contemporary bop concerts at Carnegie Hall.
151:, a key West Coast jazz figure. The turn of the 1960s saw Moss playing LA area venues including Hollywood's Exotica Club and the Tahitian Village. In 1964 she did two consecutive extended stints at the Riverside Hotel's Showboat Lounge, playing simultaneous organ and piano with vocal. In 1966 she turned up at a popular
54:
Almost nothing is known about the early development of Moss's talents. At the age of 17, in
October 1935, she copyrighted a song called "You've Set My Heart On Fire" as Lorita Waynesboro, and in August 1937 she copyrighted another, called "Confusion" under the name of Lorita Waynesboro Davis. At her
142:
From 1957 to 1966 Moss appears to have focused on touring and night-club appearances. Sporadic singles cropped up on obscure labels and a four-song EP appeared on Moss's private Los
Angeles-based label Rozell, including at least one self-penned song, "Bobby's Blues", copyrighted under the name of
218:
Moss appears to have never publicly discussed her family life; records show her father serving jail time as of 1935 and in a court case with Minnie over a property dispute, and as of 1940 the entire family living in an extended household with Fred
Waynesboro (to whom Minnie is now married), and
214:
Lorita
Waynesboro was born to parents Wayne Bernice Waynesboro and Minnie Peters. Prior to her settlement in New York, school and marriage records place Moss in Charleston, West Virginia and Lawrence, Ohio. She had two sisters, Elnore and Frances, three and seven years younger respectively.
46:, grew up in Charleston, WV, and, sometime in the mid-to-late 40s, arrived in New York City. She credited the discovery of her vocal range to singing along to saxophonist Freddy Gardner's recording of "Body and Soul", a record she had turned up in a Manhattan store's bargain bin.
181:. In 1968, the third and last Dot LP produced a now obscure eponymous single, that would become arguably Moss's most enduring song: "Just a Dream Ago", although the LP also included a worthy cover of "Sleep Safe and Warm", the theme from the film
190:
A captivating night-club performer rather than a recording artist, "Queen Moss" to her performance fans, her impressive vocal talents and musical ambidexterity in a live setting failed to translate into record sales and broad appeal.
159:, was issued on the Islandia's house label and generated considerable local acclaim for her vocal range, Sumac-esque stylizing and scat vocals. Airplay and coverage by radio and TV stations such as KOGO, KFMX and KFMB (then home of
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notes her "remarkable" vocal range and "breezy whimsical style". In 1956, she headlined at the Living Room night club in New York, and in 1957, decided to head for the West Coast.
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82:, Ohio, followed, but no independent reportage - music press or otherwise - can be found to support it. She is placed performing at jazz DJ and impresario
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1951 - "I Never Was So
Surprised" / "I'll Be Waiting for You"; Glenn Records 1001 78rpm. Billed as Rita Moss and The Satisfiers (Sonny Dunham Orchestra)
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She married
Herbert Richard Moss on March 15, 1944, in Lawrence, Ohio, and retained the Moss surname for the duration of her professional career.
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173:, the first Dot LP, consisted of several familiar live club repertoire numbers from the Islandia LP, plus ballad material; the next LP,
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1953 - "You Never Had It So Good" / "When Day Is Done" / "Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe" / "Memories of You"; Clef EPC 256 45rpm
518:
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74:, where a positive reception led to a stay of over 7 months. Liner notes from her later 1956 Epic LP state that appearances in
34:
lessons as a child, she was a mostly self-taught multi-instrumentalist who could play piano, organ and drums. She was born in
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198:. The compositions were mostly self-penned, with a lyrics co-credit to Dr. Russell Paul Schofield, founder-director of
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1959 - A-side: "Irish Jag" / "Linger Awhile" / B-side: "Passion Flower" / "Bobby's Blues"; 45rpm EP V-Tone V-101
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35:
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1953 - "You Never Had It So Good" / "When Day Is Done"; Mercury/Clef 89024 78rpm 89024x45 45rpm single
500:
183:
294:; Dot DLP 25763 (S) 3763 (M) LP | digital re-release in 2011 on Cleopatra Records UPC: 885686557044
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1959 - A-side: "Daydream" / "Bobby's Blues" / B-side: "CHY-A-CHA" / "Irish Jag"; Rozell K80H-1198
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to whom she had earlier drawn comparisons. The Gothic single features an arranging credit to
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Rita
Roszelle. This period shows Moss honing exotica type vocal gymnastics in the vein of
8:
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1961 - "Jaggin'" / "Exactly Like You" (as "Voices of Rita Moss); Gothic 003 45rpm single
228:
She died on July 16, 2015, at her residence in San Diego, California, at the age of 97.
194:
In the 1970s Moss recorded an LP of spiritual jazz issued on the private Retep label in
133:; the release was notable in that one number was an original by Moss. A brief review in
871:
240:
1950 - "Tradin' In the Old for a New" / "I'm in the Middle Again"; Futurama 3009 single
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920:"Rita Moss & The Satisfiers - I'll Be Waiting For You / I Never Was So Surprised"
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437:"Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions, Part 3"
415:"Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions, Part 3"
202:, a spiritual training regime. Moss continued to perform live in San Diego and
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39:
682:
30:
and ballad singer, notable for her four-octave vocal range. Although she took
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As of 1964, Rita Moss was married to Bob
Roszelle who was also her manager.
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1957 - "My Ole
Kentucky Home" / "I Should Know"; Debonair 1839 single 45rpm
110:
71:
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1968 - "Just a Dream Ago" / "The
Measure of a Man"; Dot 17120 45rpm single
246:
1951 - "Darlin'" / "Love Me or Please Let Me Be"; Decca 27873 single 78rpm
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1964 - "My Melancholy Baby" / "Red Balloon"; Challenge 59245 45rpm single
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1964 - "Jingle Bells" / "I'm Shooting High"; Arvee 5084 single 45rpm
771:"Valentine's Day was a fine time to put his heart into a big party"
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102:
66:
Moss first came to public attention following a 1949 debut at
31:
271:
1960 - "Zatika Part 1" / "Zatika Part 2"; Rozell 205 single
27:
472:, Charleston, West Virginia, Thursday, May 21, 1936, p. 31
701:
General reference: liner notes from Rita Moss's five LPs
460:, Charleston, West Virginia, Sunday, May 17, 1936, p. 70
237:
1949 - "I Should Know" / "No One"; Futurama 3008 single
89:
In the early 1950s, Moss cut a few singles on Debonair,
743:"Jazz Comes Alive at One of City's Best-Kept Secrets"
710:
Retep CG-011 "Inner Experience Vol. 1" LP liner notes
105:'s George Williams Orchestra, although her first LP,
26:; July 4, 1918 – July 16, 2015) was an American
641:"Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries"
574:"University of Idaho, Leonard Feather Collection"
1084:
1009:"The Exotica Project: One Hundred Dreamland 45s"
791:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
519:"Audio Record, Vol. 4 No. 4, April 1948, pg. 1"
259:; Epic LN 3201 LP (12"), Philips B-07865R (10")
155:club where her second album, of live material,
113:only in 1956. The selections were standards by
1039:"45 Discography for Arvee/Orbit/HiFi Records"
325:; Fresh Sound Records FSR-CD 983, compilation
773:. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016
219:Lorita, now 21, married to Melvin Davis.
897:The Record Changer, January 1954, p. 32
1123:People from Cabin Creek, West Virginia
1113:Singers with a four-octave vocal range
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397:
395:
393:
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981:"Photographic image of record label"
97:, including a four-song EP on Clef (
55:graduation with honors in 1936 from
872:"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013"
388:
167:who went on to issue three albums.
13:
14:
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501:""As You Desire Me" by Rita Moss"
483:""As You Desire Me" by Rita Moss"
209:
177:, was arranged and conducted by
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301:; Dot DLP 25839 (S) 3838 (M) LP
540:"Columbia University Archives"
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1118:Singers from New York (state)
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163:) attracted the attention of
852:"United States Census, 1940"
807:"United States Census, 1930"
721:"RITA MOSS SINGS "DAYDREAM""
157:Rita Moss Reigns at Islandia
7:
369:"United States Census 1920"
10:
1139:
404:, September 11, 1964 p. 30
200:Actualism for Lightworkers
59:in Charleston, she played
1043:Globaldogproductions.info
970:, December 16, 1957 p. 56
946:, November 24, 1951 p. 19
563:, Wed Apr. 13, 1949 p 62,
470:The Charleston Daily Mail
458:The Charleston Daily Mail
348:Obits.dignitymemorial.com
49:
958:, January 24, 1953 p. 43
909:, January 21, 1950 p. 35
827:"WAYNESBORO V. LOPINSKY"
594:, January 21, 1950 p. 35
344:"In Memory of Rita Moss"
1108:People from Long Island
316:Inner Experience Vol. 1
1028:, August 7, 1961 p. 24
630:, March 31, 1956 p. 34
311:; Dot DLP 25889 (S) LP
72:Park Avenue Restaurant
16:American jazz musician
1103:American jazz singers
1076:, July 16, 1968 p. 70
1061:Soulfulkindamusic.net
672:, May 19, 1962, p. 10
660:, June 26, 1952 p. 64
647:. 1959. p. 1168.
606:, July 2, 1949, p. 22
526:worldradiohistory.com
287:; retep RTP-M 1381 LP
257:Introducing Rita Moss
107:Introducing Rita Moss
402:Reno Evening Gazette
323:Queen Moss 1951-1959
24:Loreta L. Waynesboro
618:, July 2, 1949 p 21
1013:Exoticaproject.com
751:. 14 December 1989
723:. 20 November 2009
292:Talk to Me, Tiger!
285:Reigns at Islandia
57:Garnet High School
748:Los Angeles Times
318:; Retep CG-011 LP
171:Talk to Me Tiger!
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184:Rosemary's Baby
101:) in 1952 with
84:Leonard Feather
76:London, Ontario
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210:Personal life
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161:Regis Philbin
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149:Jack Montrose
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877:FamilySearch
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831:Casetext.com
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421:December 17,
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111:Epic Records
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18:
1098:2015 deaths
1093:1918 births
1057:"Challenge"
993:January 29,
924:Discogs.com
883:October 29,
836:October 31,
777:October 31,
755:October 31,
727:October 31,
683:"- YouTube"
505:archive.org
487:archive.org
443:October 29,
380:October 31,
353:October 29,
232:Discography
204:Los Angeles
179:Marty Paich
165:Dot Records
36:Cabin Creek
1087:Categories
929:29 January
330:References
1074:Billboard
1026:Billboard
968:Billboard
956:Billboard
944:Billboard
907:Billboard
670:Billboard
628:Billboard
616:Billboard
604:Billboard
591:Billboard
196:San Diego
153:San Diego
145:Yma Sumac
136:Billboard
131:Ellington
80:Cleveland
20:Rita Moss
787:cite web
123:Gershwin
68:New York
688:YouTube
561:Variety
321:2019 -
314:1977 -
307:1968 -
297:1968 -
290:1966 -
283:1966 -
255:1956 -
127:Webster
119:Rodgers
103:Chicago
95:Mercury
40:Kanawha
439:. 1938
417:. 1936
299:Superb
175:Superb
78:, and
50:Career
22:(born
984:(JPG)
577:(PDF)
522:(PDF)
99:Verve
91:Decca
32:piano
995:2022
931:2022
885:2017
838:2017
793:link
779:2017
757:2017
729:2017
445:2017
423:2017
382:2017
355:2017
129:and
115:Hart
93:and
28:jazz
658:Jet
70:'s
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789:}}
785:{{
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390:^
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.