Una Mae Carlisle

Una Mae Carlisle (1915-1956) was a U.S. popular-music and jazz singer, songwriter, and pianist.

Carlisle was born on the 26th December 1915, in Xenia, Ohio, U.S.A.. She was discovered by Fats Waller late in 1932. He invited her to play on his radio show at station WLW in Cincinnati during Christmas week when Una Mae turned seventeen. She was still in High School at the time, and her mother had approved her Christmas vacation in Cincinnati because she was to stay with her elder sister. When her vacation was over, she refused to return home, becoming a professional musician working with Waller at WLW. It has been stated by some sources that she became his mistress. Waller's contract with WLW expired in 1934 and he left Cincinnati for New York.