Anna Mae Winburn

Anna Mae Winburn (b. Port Royal, Tennessee, August 13, 1931 – d. Hempstead, New York, September 30, 1999) – Vocalist, guitarist and bandleader. At a young age, Winburn moved with her family from Tennessee to Indianapolis. Early singing gigs including an appearance on Fort Wayne’s WOWO and performances at various Indy clubs including Chateau Lido. While living in Omaha, Nebraska, she sang and played guitar with a variety of territory bands and led the Cotton Club Boys, which Charlie Christian had at one time played with. During WW II, she went to Oklahoma City to lead Eddie Durham’s All-Girl Orchestra. From there, she accepted an offer to lead the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, an interracial all-female group. Voted the number one all-female bands by Downbeat Magazine in 1944, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm toured coast to coast including appearances at New York’s Apollo Theater, Howard Theater in Washington, D.C., and Chicago’s Rhumboogie Club. During 1945, the 16-piece band went on a six-month USO tour in Europe. With Winburn still in command, the band, continued as a six-piece combo until 1948. In spite of several attempts (particularly in 1950), Winburn was not able to resurrect the ISOR.