Utterly Ottilie

I've been thinking a lot about Ottilie Patterson lately. She grew up in Comber but her mother was from Latvia. She was smitten by Bessie Smith and various blues singers as a student and by 1955 she was working with the Chris Barber Band in London and beyond. Ultimately, she worked with the likes of Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

I had always reckoned that Van Morrison had been the first of the species, but Ottilie was singing 'Baby Please Don't Go' when Van was still in his school blazer. Have a look at this clip to appreciate some of the lady's style: