Ella Jenkins, ‘First Lady Of Children’s Music,’ Dies At 100

Ella Jenkins, the legendary “First Lady of Children’s Music,” has passed away at the remarkable age of 100, according to her longtime label Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. 

A St. Louis native, Jenkins left an enduring legacy in the world of music with timeless tunes like “You’ll Sing A Song and I’ll Sing A Song” and the beloved “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” both iconic examples of her signature call-and-response style. Jenkins’ label stated that she died peacefully at her home in Chicago on Nov. 9.

“Ella’s legacy will continue to educate and inspire, leaving a lasting impact on our world. She will be remembered for the potency of her message — to be kind, to be curious — and for the many gifts she shared so freely, all the while encouraging others to do the same,” a message from the legendary singer’s label read.

Ella Jenkins’ Rich Career

Drawing inspiration from the rich folk tradition, the Civil Rights Movement, and artists like Cab Calloway, Jenkins was known for her unique ability to engage audiences, particularly children, through the call-and-response technique. She was deeply influenced by Calloway’s 1931 hit, “Minnie The Moocher,” which featured the distinctive “Hi-dee hi-dee hi-dee hi” refrain.

“Then you’d say it back — ‘ho-dee ho-dee ho-dee ho’,” Jenkins explained to NPR in a 2013 interview. “So I started doing [this] not only with his songs — I thought I would make up [a] few songs myself. Children can learn very easily by imitating, following the leader and then pretty soon be able to teach it themselves.”

According to her official website, the star was also inspired by her Uncle Flood, a harmonica player. She fondly remembered making music with him as a child, tapping out rhythms on oatmeal boxes, wastebaskets, and cooking pots, laying the foundation for her lifelong passion for rhythm and song.

“I was naturally rhythmic and would try to copy my uncle’s sounds by whistling,” she said. “But my mother did not like it, saying good women and young girls did not whistle.” Ironically, it was her mother who eventually took her to a music store to buy her first harmonica. Her brother also played a role, teaching her songs he’d picked up at summer camp.

Jenkins began pouring her passion into children’s music while working at community centers in Chicago and for the YWCA. Her unique street performances led to an appearance on the 1956 children’s television show Totem Club on WTTW Channel 11, which eventually led to her own segment, This is Rhythm. Guest appearances by artists like Odetta and Big Bill Broonzy followed. From that point on, she became a full-time, self-employed musician, traveling the world to perform for children while also learning their cultural songs and stories.

Throughout her nearly 70-year career, Jenkins recorded 39 albums for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, including landmark releases such as her debut Call-and-Response: Rhythmic Group Singing (1957), African American Folk Rhythms (1960), You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song (1966), and A Long Time (1970). She breathed new life into traditional game songs from her childhood, such as “Miss Mary Mack” and “One Potato, Two Potato,” highlighting the rich history of American folk traditions like chants, rhymes, and ring games. Her original songs, including “Stop and Go” and “Play Your Instruments,” drew from this cultural heritage, blending infectious rhythms with educational messages for children.

The music legend received numerous honors, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, an ASCAP Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999, and the NEA National Heritage Fellowship Award in 2017.

Singer and bassist Divinity Roxx was inspired to make children’s music thanks to Jenkins.

In 2023, Grammy-nominated recording artist and bassist Divinity Roxx shared with MadameNoire the lasting influence that Jenkins’ work had on her music career. That year, Roxx made history as the first Black woman to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Children’s Album, thanks to her outstanding project Ready Set Go! — a feat she attributed to her love for the music icon. 

“A lot of us grew up listening to her music in classrooms and we may not have known her name,” Roxx said at the time. “I believe the Grammys did give her a lifetime achievement award but she had never been nominated, nor had she ever received an award for all the years she had been doing the work. So, I’m really honored to stand on her shoulders and to help usher in a new generation of Black women in this genre.”

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