Dr. Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins

So not that far.

And those times, I mean, that was more than just an amtrak.

And she secures an audition with Noble Sissel, who some listeners may remember from his involvement in Shuffle Along and various other Harlem Renaissance activities.

He is now running a major orchestra called the Society Orchestra, and he signs her, but...

She was under considerable pressure because her stepfather, Mike, and her mother traveled with the band.

And she was constantly on edge, expecting that Mike was going to lose his cool and cause a problem.

And actually, he does yell at Noble Sissel for letting the musicians use the kitchen exit in a segregated hotel and not respecting his players.

And eventually Mike is kicked off the tour.

Yeah, in 1937, she runs away to Pittsburgh this time.

And she marries this guy, Louis Jordan Jones, or Louis Jordan Jones, I think it is actually.

And he is from a similar middle class, black background.

He's the son of a minister.

He's a college graduate.

He's an aspiring politician.

But their marriage is made challenging by the fact that Lena Horne continues to work.

And he was looking for a different kind of wife who was going to support his political aspirations rather than make her own money.

She doesn't get work immediately.

But once she does, it starts to gain momentum.

And she secures an audition via the record producer John Hammond, who's aware of her from Decca, to audition at Cafe Society downtown.

So there were two Cafe Societies, one uptown and one downtown, as a solo artist.