Spokane Songbirds: A Tribute to Mildred Bailey

A woman who sang about sitting in a rocking chair while demanding gin deserves some respect. Spokane-raised jazz icon Mildred Bailey did just that in her song “Rockin’ Chair,” and as April is Jazz Appreciation Month, it’s a great time to celebrate the Queen of Swing. Next Thursday, the show “Thanks for the Memory: Spokane Songbirds Sing a Tribute to Mildred Bailey” hits the Bing Crosby Theater’s stage — quite appropriate since Bailey was partly credited for helping its namesake crooner get his start. Performers include Spokane jazz vocalists Julia Keefe and Heather Villa, along with all-female folk band Mama Doll and the Mukogawa Women’s Ensemble. Proceeds benefit the Holy Names Music Center.