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Ethel Ennis has lived in Baltimore, Maryland all her life. She has been criticized for staying there, but by staying in her home town Ennis has built a strong local base of support for her career. Ennis often went for several years without making an appearance outside the Baltimore area. She was named Cultural Ambassador of the City of Baltimore by Mayor William Donald Schaefer in 1982. Ennis opened her own jazz club, “Ethel’s Place,” in Baltimore in 1982.

Ennis’ recording career has been an on and off affair. Her first album, Lullabies came out in 1955 on the Jubilee record label, followed by Change of Scenery, on Capitol, in 1957. Six years later she made a series of albums for RCA, then took another eight years off, releasing one album, 10 Sides of Ethel Ennis in 1973. She released another album in 1980 and again in 1988.

Ennis began her musical career by playing piano in church. She played piano sang with a local jazz group while attending Frederick Douglass High School, in the 1940s and won a number of local talent competitions. In 1958 Ennis toured Europe, singing with Benny Goodman’s “all star” band, which appeared at the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels. She has appeared with Count Baise, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong.

I found this odd piece of video on YouTube of Ethel Ennis singing “I’ve Goth That Feeling.” It has a 1960s look to me. The color film it was shot with has faded quite a bit as my old photo album has. The film has some funny, dated production values. The dancers don’t seem to have anything to do with the song and appear to be making some other movie. I kind of like the effect. Ennis’ singing in the important part, to us, anyway.

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