Ella Jenkins, the celebrated musician who brought children’s songs like “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” to life, passed away at 100 on Nov. 9. Her death was confirmed by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, where she was a pioneering artist.
Born in St. Louis in 1924 and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Jenkins grew up surrounded by gospel, blues, and the lively music of the Regal Theater. Influenced by Cab Calloway, she developed a call-and-response style to engage children in learning through song.
After graduating from San Francisco State University, Jenkins used music as a teaching tool in Chicago community centers, releasing her debut album Call-And-Response: Rhythmic Group Singing in 1957. Her legacy endures in songs like “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song,” preserved in the Library of Congress.
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