Ethel Ennis

Ethel Llewellyn Ennis (born November 28, 1932, in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American jazz musician.

Ethel Ennis began performing on the piano in high school, but her natural vocal abilities soon eclipsed those as a pianist. Embarking on a solo career, she recorded a number of sides for Atlantic Records before the Lp debut, 1955's Lullabies for Losers was released by Jubilee Records. In 1957, Ennis moved to the Capitol Records label for a two-album contract, and A Change of Scenery was released. Soon after the 1958 follow-up Lp Have You Forgotten, Ennis took a six-year hiatus from recording during which she toured Europe with Benny Goodman.

Ennis was again invited to the recording studios in 1963, recording four LPs for RCA Records. However, disenchanted with the creative direction of the label and artist management, Ennis left RCA and took another hiatus, this time eight years without a recording contract. During this period she sang the title song for the 1967 feature film Mad Monster Party. The BASF Lp 10 Sides of Ethel Ennis emerged in 1973 and later that year Ennis, a Democrat, was invited to sing at the re-inauguration of Richard Nixon. Ethel's unusual a cappella rendition of the national anthem shocked some, but inspired many others.

Ennis

Ennis (/ˈɛ.nɪs/; Irish: Inis, meaning "island") is the county town of Clare in the West of Ireland. On the River Fergus just north of where it enters the Shannon Estuary, it lies north west of Limerick and south of Galway. The town is 19 km (12 mi) from Shannon Airport. The Irish name for the town is short for Inis Cluain Ramh Fhada ("island of the long rowing meadow"). In 2011, Ennis had a population of 25,360, making it the 11th largest town in Ireland.

History

The name Ennis comes from the Irish word "Inis", meaning "island". This name relates to an island formed between two courses of the River Fergus on which the Franciscan abbey was built. The past of Ennis is greatly associated with the O'Brien family, who were descendants of Brian Boru. In the 12th century, the O'Briens, who were Kings of Thomond, left their seat of power in Limerick and built a royal residence at Clonroad on the then island. In 1240, King Donnchadh O'Brien ordered the construction of an extensive church which he later donated to followers of St. Francis. The centuries which followed bore great activity. The Friars keep was expanded and students came in great flocks to study at the theological college. The Friars, who were free to move about, met the spiritual needs of the local population. It was a religious centre until the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Ethel

Ethel (also æthel) is an Old English word meaning "noble". It is frequently attested as the first element in Anglo-Saxon names, both masculine and feminine, e.g. Æthelhard, Æthelred, Æthelwulf; Æthelburg, Æthelflæd, Æthelthryth (Audrey). It corresponds to the Adel- and Edel- in continental names, such as Adolph (Æthelwulf), Adalbert (Albert), Adelheid (Adelaide), Edeltraut and Edelgard. There would be some reason to believe that the word is actually taken from "aedilis" or "aedile", the Latin name of a Roman official, whose function was that of a magistrate and superintendent of public property. It was common that in smaller towns in the Roman era that the only public official was the aedile. Importantly, in later Roman times, the Aedile was in charge of the public treasury. The later clerical Latin translation of "aethel" as "clito" may be a reflection of the fact that there was no such formal position after the Roman civil authority disappeared. "Clito" was from "incluto" and an earlier Greek word that certainly did not mean "noble" in the sense of an inherited class status, but rather famous or illustrious.