Born August 26, 1901, Jimmy Rushing was an extremely influential jump blues and
jazz vocalist and musician best known as the featured vocalist in Count Basie’s
Orchestra beginning in 1935 and lasting until 1948. Initially a pianist, he
became a singer in 1924 when the vocalist of the band asked him to duet with
her. Nicknamed ‘Mr. Five by Five’ because of his physical build, his early
forays into singing professionally included stints with Walter Page’s Blue
Devils in 1927, moving on to Bennie Moten’s band in 1929. Moten died in 1935 and
Rushing joined the Count Basie Orchestra t...