Ella Jenkins, the Chicago-based singer and songwriter renowned as the “First Lady of Children’s Music,” has passed away at the age of 100. Jenkins died peacefully on Saturday at the senior living facility in Uptown where she lived.
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Her passing was confirmed per NPR by John Smith, the associate director of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, her long-time record label. According to a statement from the label, she recorded 39 albums for Folkways throughout a remarkable career that spanned nearly 70 years.
Born in St. Louis, she relocated to Chicago during her childhood. As a young girl, she taught herself to play both the ukulele and harmonica. After earning her degree from San Francisco State University, Jenkins returned to Chicago, where she worked at community centers. There, she utilized music as a teaching tool for children, crafting many of her own original songs in the process.
In the 1950s, she began her appearances on children’s television shows, which paved the way for her career as a full-time musician.
Jenkins made her early television debut on WTTW-Channel 11’s “The Totem Club.” She first appeared on the program in 1956 and quickly earned her own segment titled “This Is Rhythm.”
Not long after, children across the nation were singing along to Jenkins’ traditional and original songs, including classics like “Miss Mary Mack,” “Did You Feed My Cow?,” and “Stop and Go.”
Of course, there’s also the beloved “You’ll Sing a Song, and I’ll Sing a Song,” released on a celebrated album of the same name in 1966. Jenkins’ albums also featured traditional songs from various cultures both within the country and around the globe.
As you may notice, many of her songs feature a distinctive call-and-response style. The technique was picked up in Chicago clubs…
How Ella Jenkins Developed Her Signature Song Writing Style
Jenkins was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 6, 1924. However, she and her family later relocated to the South Side of Chicago, where Cab Calloway was one of the hottest acts in the clubs at the time. In his iconic song “Minnie the Moocher,” the “Hi-dee hi-dee hi-dee hi” segment features a lively call-and-response format.
“Then you’d say it back — ‘ho-dee ho-dee ho-dee ho,”” Jenkins explained to NPR in 2013. “So I started doing not only with his songs — I thought I would make up few songs myself. Children can learn very easily by imitating, following the leader, and then pretty soon be able to teach it themselves.”
Jenkins went on to influence generations of educators and songwriters.
Juan Dies collaborated with Jenkins, but their partnership extends beyond that. Together, they contributed significantly to increasing diversity at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
“Ella Jenkins’ magic, I think, is her simplicity,” Dies told CBS News. “The first time I met her, I asked her, ‘What would you like to do with the African American community,’ and the first thing she said is, ‘I don’t want to be a spokesperson for the African American community. I believe I speak for everyone.’”