Biography
Velma Middleton devoted the bulk of her professional life to performing vocals alongside Louis Armstrong. Her beginnings lay in dance, and despite carrying extra weight, she frequently executed splits during live performances, even throughout her time with Armstrong. Her vocal delivery was middling yet sufficiently agreeable and infused with a playful spirit. Following stints as a freelance artist—which encompassed a 1938 trip to South America alongside Connie McLean's Orchestra and periods performing independently—she became a member of Louis Armstrong's large ensemble in 1942, where she featured in several Soundies alongside Satch. Once Armstrong disbanded that orchestra in 1947, Middleton integrated into his All-Stars group. She frequently provided humorous interludes, notably through joint numbers with Satch such as "That's My Desire" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside," along with sporadic solo spots. Though reviewers in jazz circles seldom praised Middleton's vocals, Armstrong regarded her as family and kept her as a steady fixture in his performances. She cut eight tracks under her own name for the Dootone label across 1948 and 1951. Middleton passed away during a 1961 African tour with Satch.