Newark, NJ Resident
The legacy continues with singer Gertrude Melba Smith, the mother of Melba Moore. Ms. Smith was an R & B singer, born in New Orleans. After she moved to the New York City area, Gertrude sang with Teddy Hill’s band. In 1942 she joined the Piccadilly Pipers, a group based in Newark, New Jersey. Her 1942 recording of “Don’t Stop Now” (released under the name Bonnie Davis) for the newly formed Savoy label reach the top position on the Billboard “Harlem Hit Parade,” the precursor to its Rhythm & Blues chart.