Billie Rogers

Who is Billie Rogers?

Billie Rogers was an American jazz trumpet player and singer who was a member of the trumpet section and featured soloist with Woody Herman from 1941 to 1943. She led her own band in 1943, then at the end of that year, joined the Jerry Wald band and remained a member until October 1945, when she left to form her own sextet. Rogers is credited as being the first woman to hold a horn position in a major jazz orchestra. Rogers shared the distinction as a pioneering female jazz trumpeter with Valaida Snow.

Woody Herman discovered Rogers in August 1941. After his band had finished for the evening at the Palladium Ballroom Cafe in Hollywood, Herman had gone to a small Los Angeles night club where Rogers was singing and playing trumpet. Impressed, he asked for an introduction. Sammy Cahn, the songwriter, did the honors and, within a few minutes, Herman hired her to be a member of his "Blues on Parade" band. She made her debut with Woody's band at the Panther Room of Chicago's Sherman Hotel.