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Alma Mondy (Alma Lollypop)
Alma Mondy, better known as Alma Lollypop during her club years in New Orleans, was a big, strong woman who could belt out the blues. Murray Nash recorded Mondy partly as an answer to another Mercury artist. "We had Dinah Washington at Mercury and we were having problems with her. And Alma struck me as being someone who could take over (from Dinah) if the problems got worse. She was just a good singer and race artist at the time and that's what we were looking for."
Alma started out at the 'Palace Theatre' in the 1940s as a partner in the act of her husband, comedian Lollypop Jones. I used to go with Alma," recounted Lester Alexis. "She'd sneak off when she was workin' at the 'Caldonia'… Her and Lollypop Jones was broke up. They even made a movie – a couple of movies, 'cause I seen 'em at the 'Palace.'"
Alma joined Professor Longhair at the 'Caldonia' beginning at Christmas, 1948.
On March 4, 1950 Dr. Daddy-O wrote, "Alma Lollypop, long ignored by the wax-folks, will soon become New Orleans' top feminine recording artist. If ya don't believe it, give a lissen to her first recording 'Love Troubles'." The record was undoubtedly an acetate which was given to him after the session to play on his radio show, as the song has remained unissued until 1989.
Alma became a regular feature at the Doctor's Jax Beer parties. One at 'Club Shadowland' in May 1950 was especially memorable:
"Lollypop (Jones) told so many funny stories that the fella sitting in front me lost his false teeth twice: he was laughing so loud and long... And again, Prof. Roy Byrd... the one and only ballad man... thumped his foot against the piano and brought the house down with 'Bald Head'... And to close the show, Alma (Lollypop) Mundy took the microphone and melted with three jump-blues numbers."
Baby Get Wise, backed with the lovely ballad Just As Soon As I Go Home (an alternate take featuring more spinetingling piano by Alex Burrell is included here), was released on April 15, 1950 under the name 'Alma Mondy 'The Lollipop Mama''.
Throughout much of 1950 Alma sang at the luxurious 'Club Desire' in support of Fats Domino (who, as a teenager, had enjoyed her comedy act and singing at the 'Palace Theater' in the 1940s).
At the July 1950 session she recorded the risque A Job For A Jockey, something of an answer to Joe Turner's My Gal's A Jockey, and a cover of a new record by Margie Day and the Griffin Brothers, Street Walkin' Daddy, which was released with Miss Lollypop's Confession (an answer to the Roy Brown/Wynonie Harris hit Lollypop Mama) on August 20, 1950 and apparently did very well, as Alma was booked throughout the South and Southwest all during 1951. On December, 22, 1951 Dr. Daddy-O reported, "Alma Lollypop, much slimmer and looking 10 years younger, breezed back into New Orleans with a mink coat... real fine, cher... real fine."
Alma was at the 'Caravan' club for most of 1953, when she recorded her last session for Mercury under the name 'Lollypop'. That is where her publicity ends, though she played the piano and sang salty blues numbers with that powerful voice of hers at least into the 1960s.
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Various - Record Label Profiles
The Mercury New Orleans Sessions (2-CD)
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