Ella Mae Morse—Miss Morse to you—was born on September 12,1924, in Mansfield, Texas, a small place not too far south of Dallas. Her mother was a pianist. Her father was a drummer. Her breasts delevoped at an early age. Aside from these meager facts, little is known of Ella Mae’s younger years.

Full-breasted, yet un-high-schooled, Miss Morse began singing in her father’s local jazz band in the late 1930’s. Toward the end of 1938, Jimmy Dorset, passing through Texas, happened to hear her. So very impressed was he with the well-gartered, fiery-voiced 14-year-old girl, that he immediately offered her a job as lead singer in his band.

Ella Mae began traveling with the Jimmy Dorsev/ Orchestra in January, 1939. Although she never . recorded with Dorsey—the bandleader continued to employ Helen O’Connell at his sessions— Ella Mae’s fame spread as the Dorsey bus wound its way from town to town, dancehall to dancehall.