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Viola Gertrude Wells Evans (14 December 1902, Newark, New Jersey - 22 December 1984, Belleville, New Jersey), better known by her stage names Viola Wells or Miss Rhapsody, was an American jazz, blues, and religious singer. The book ''Swing City: Newark Nightlife, 1925-50'' by Barbara J. Kukla is dedicated to Viola Wells. ==Early life== Wells was the first child of Robert Olivia Simmons and Earle Henry Wells, who had moved to Newark from Surry County, Virginia. She had three siblings: Isabelle, Estelle, and Earle. When her mother died from giving birth to her sister Estelle, she briefly went to live with her maternal grandparents Rev. Morgan and Annie Simmons in Virginia. Rev. Morgan was a Baptist minister who only liked to listen to secular music. In contrast, his son "Uncle Charlie" was popular locally for his song and dance routines. She returned to Newark, New Jersey in 1910 after her father remarried.〔 She started to sing in her church's Salika Johnson choir under the direction of her music and piano teacher, Ruth Reid. This choir traveled to cities outside of New Jersey to perform. WOR Radio in Newark invited her to sing on air to raise money for the first Black YMCA. She also sang on the glee club in her high school and in talent shows. Her first marriage was to Howard Nicholas when she was nineteen.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Viola Gertrude Wells」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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