Esther Bigeou

Esther Bigeou

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Esther Bigeou
Name	Esther Bigeou Esther Bijou Esther Bigeau
Audio:	Esther Bigeou scat singing (1923):

Esther Bigeou from New Orleans, Louisiana, was an American vaudeville and blues vocalist. Billed as "The Girl with the Million Dollar Smile", she was one of the great female blues vocalists mainstream during the 1920s. Due to confusion, her photo that was taken in 1923 by James Van Der Zee is often mistaken for Baby Esther Jones. Bigeou is said to have originated and interpolated the "Twa-Twa-Twa" scat rhythm into her songs in 1923, but it is indicated that Gertrude Saunders did it before Bigeou, two years earlier in 1921. 

Quotes

• Esther Bigeou: "Every woman who wants to be popular and happy can now have her wish." (1929)
• Esther Bigeou: "Beauty is priceless." (1929)
• Esther Bigeou: "With beauty there will come everything you desire in life, friends, admirers, social leadership, and great success." (1929)

Scat Sounds Originated by Esther Bigeou

• Twa-Twa-Twa

Esther Bigeou Enchants at the Monogram (1922)

Esther Bigeou gave us art and comedy enough to convince everybody that she is a comedienne and singer of high rank.

Dazzling Vaudeville Star Tells Beauty Secrets (1924)

Famous actress and phonograph artist explains methods by which she acquired her magnetic beauty. Esther Bigeou nationally known "blues" singer.

Read Phonograph Star's Beauty Secrets (1925)

Esther Bigeou is known throughout the United States as one of the races most beautiful ladies. Her hair long, straight and fluffy, has been admired by thousands. Her skin clear and light is the envy of women everywhere.

Now You Can Have Entrancing Beauty Says Esther Bigeou (1929)

Esther Bigeou stage star and phonograph record artist.

Esther Bigeou (1929)

On the smartest dressing tables these preparations are always found.

Recordings

• "If That's What You Want Here It Is" (1921)
• "The Memphis Blues" (1921)
• "Nervous Blues" (1921)
• "The St. Louis Blues" (1921)
• "Stingaree Blues (A Down Home Blues)" (1921)
• "Aggravatin' Papa (Don't You Try To Two-Time Me)" (1923)
• "Beale St. Blues" (1923)
• "Beale Street Mama" (1923)
• "Four O'Clock Blues" (1923)
• "The Gulf Coast Blues" (1923)
• "The Hesitating Blues" (1923)
• "I'm Through With You (As I Can Be)" (1923)
• "Outside Of That, He's All Right With Me" (1923)
• "Panama Limited Blues" (1923)
• "That Twa-Twa Tune" (1923)
• "West Indies Blues" (1923)
• "You Ain't Treating Me Right" (1923)

Death

• Esther Bigeou retired aged only 35, to settle in New Orleans. Reports indicate that she died circa 1936. The cause of death is currently unknown.

Trivia

• Clarence Williams accompanied Bigeou on the piano in several recordings.
• Esther recorded a scat song in 1923 called "That Twa-Twa Tune".
• Her photo was mistaken for Esther Jones, because an old Betty Boop website called Betty Boop Checks labeled it Esther Jones without any proof, fooling the world into believing it was Esther Jones. The website no longer exists, but there are other sites who have copied and pasted, making people still believe that the photo is Esther Jones, when in reality it is Esther Bigeou. Esther Jones was a child, not a woman and would have been around 2-5 years of age in 1923.
• In 1913 she began touring in vaudeville with the performer and playwright Irvin C. Miller the both of them later married.
• In 1917 Bigeou appeared as a singer, dancer, and recitalist in the revue Broadway Rastus.
• Esther was born in 1895.
• From 1923 to 1925 and 1927 to 1930, she toured as a single act in the American South, Midwest, and Northeast.
• Esther Bigeou's song "Aggravatin' Papa" is a song that was originally debuted by Florence Mills in the 1922 musical Plantation Revue.

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