Pha Terrell

Elmer "Pha" Terrell (May 25, 1910 in Kansas City, Missouri - October 14, 1945 in Los Angeles) was an American jazz singer. Terrell was working in nightclubs locally in Kansas City in the early 1930s as a singer, dancer, and emcee when he was discovered by Andy Kirk, who hired him to be the vocalist for his group the Twelve Clouds of Joy. Terrell sang with Kirk for eight years, from 1933 to 1941, and recorded with him extensively for Decca Records, singing hits such as 1936's "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" and 1938's "I Won't Tell a Soul (I Love You)". After 1941 Terrell moved to Indianapolis to play with Clarence Love's territory band, then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a soloist. Terrell died of kidney failure in 1945.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 25, 1910 (Kansas City), Died October 14, 1945 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 55 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Role
Decca	60862	10-in.	3/3/1936	All the jive is gone	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	60886	10-in.	3/11/1936	I'se a-muggin'	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	60887	10-in.	3/11/1936	Until the real thing comes along	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	60972	10-in.	4/2/1936	Until the real thing comes along	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	60973	10-in.	4/3/1936	Blue illusion	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	60974	10-in.	4/3/1936	Cloudy	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	61003	10-in.	4/7/1936	Give her a pint (and she'll tell it all)	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	61465	10-in.	12/9/1936	What will I tell my heart?	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	61466	10-in.	12/9/1936	Dedicated to you	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	61599	10-in.	2/15/1937	Skies are blue	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	61950	10-in.	2/15/1937	Downstream	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62133	10-in.	4/17/1937	Worried over you	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62134	10-in.	4/17/1937	Foolin' myself	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62135	10-in.	4/17/1937	I'm glad for your sake	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62136	10-in.	4/17/1937	I'll get along somehow	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62447	10-in.	7/26/1937	In my wildest dreams	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62448	10-in.	7/26/1937	Better luck next time	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62449	10-in.	7/26/1937	Satan takes a holiday	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62453	10-in.	7/27/1937	What's mine is yours	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62455	10-in.	7/27/1937	The key to my heart	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62456	10-in.	7/27/1937	I want to be a gypsy	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62872	10-in.	12/13/1937	Lover come back to me	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	62873	10-in.	12/13/1937	Poor butterfly	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	63255	10-in.	2/8/1938	I surrender dear	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist
Decca	63257	10-in.	2/8/1938	It must be true	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	vocalist

(Results 1-25 of 55 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Terrell, Pha," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597.

Terrell, Pha. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/346597.

"Terrell, Pha." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.