This week's found photo is a bit beat up, but it's such a great picture we had to run it anyway.The young lady in the shiny dress seems to be in mid-song, and judging by the setting, I'd say she's entertaining at a party, perhaps even a rent party, and old and important tradition rhythm & blues history, where folks would push their furniture against the wall, hire a piano player, guitarist and/or singer and charge their friends to get in (usually the price was .25. 0r .50 cents), food and booze was included in the admission price. Many important musicians, from James P. Johnson to John Lee Hooker started their career playing rent parties. As for the budding Esther Phillips above, perhaps her career never got past singing for her friends, but her face looks a bit familiar, anyone out there have any ideas who she may be?
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