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Melancholy Baby is a studio album by American singer Della Reese. It was released in 1956 by Jubilee Records and was the debut studio release in Reese's career. The album was a collection of standards performed by Reese in a blues style. The album received a positive response from music publications such as Billboard and Cashbox magazines. It spawned one single which happened to be the collection's title track.
Background, recording and content
Della Reese was later known as an actress (notably on the series Touched by an Angel) but she began her career as a singer who recorded blues, jazz and pop. She first signed a recording contract in 1954 with Jubilee Records. The label would issue her first LP Melancholy Baby. The album was a collection of 12 tracks that were described by Billboard as "standards" such as "When Your Lover Has Gone" and "Say It Isn't So". According to the liner notes, Reese performed the tracks in a Blues style.
Release, critical reception and singles
Melancholy Baby was first released to operators in 1956 and received a positive response upon its initial release according to Cash Box. It was released by Jubilee Records and was offered as a vinyl LP in mono format with six tracks on each side of the disc. It received a positive response from music publications following its release. Billboard magazine found the album to showcase Reese's "dramatic, stylized thrushing". Cashbox similarly wrote, "Her bursts of energy, her clever elongated phrasing, and a convincing wistful delivery are spread over 12 sturdy pieces." Although no formal review was given, AllMusic rated the album three out of five stars. The album's title track was the only single spawned from the collection.
