Nellie Lutcher, born on October 15, 1912, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was an R&B and jazz singer and pianist. She began playing instruments at a young age and at 12 accompanied Ma Rainey during a performance. In 1935, Lutcher moved to Los Angeles where she performed swing piano regularly and began singing while accompanying artists like Lena Horne and Ivie Anderson. Her breakthrough came in 1947 when Capitol Records signed her after a radio broadcast of a March of Dimes charity event. Her first hit "Hurry on Down" (1947) reached number 2 on the Rhythm & Blues charts, followed by "He's a Real Gone Guy" (1947), which peaked at number 15 on the Pop charts. She was awarded the Pioneer Award by the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1992. Lutcher passed away on June 8, 2007, in Los Angeles.
