Betty Bigby was born in Topeka, Kansas in 1911, and relocated early on to California. Her father was the leader of a brass band, but she learned the piano from her uncle. At 15 she married a banjo player named Hall, then divorced him ten years later. She played with jazz bands throughout the 40s.
She married Jasper Jones around that time, and her professional name became Betty Hall Jones. She recorded extensively for Capitol from 1947 to 1949. One of her more popular songs came out in 1949, when she recorded an answer song to Stick McGhee’s “Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-Oh-Dee.” It’s quite a song, Betty not only gives a thumbs up to beer and liquor and a thumbs down to vino, she foreshadows rap with a little talking blues. Betty Hall Jones and Buddy Stay Off Of That Wine…
Old School Single: BUDDY STAY OFF OF THAT WINE Betty Hall Jones (1949)