Ella J. Bradley-Hughley (1889–1918) was an American choir director, and a

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

soloist (or operatic prima donna). She was well known and active in Los Angeles between 1911 until 1918, where she was given the nickname the "Queen of Song".

Biography

She was born as Ella J. Bradley on March 1, 1889 in Dallas, Texas, to a Black

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

family. She attended Bishop College in Marshall, Texas and graduated in 1907. In 1911, she married David H. Hughley in Dallas, and together they moved to Los Angeles, California shortly after marriage. In Los Angeles she studied with Armenian gospel singer, J. Jurakian; George H. Carr; and with Spanish operatic singer,

Florencio Constantino Florencio Constantino (April 9, 1869 – November 19, 1919) was a Spanish operatic tenor who had an active international performance career from 1892 through 1917. He was particularly admired for his performances in the operas of Giuseppe Ve ...

. Her first performance in Los Angeles was presented by Reverend J. T. Hill at the Wesley Chapel. She served as the department head of voice-culture department at the Wilkins Conservatory of Music (also known as the Wilkins Piano Academy), founded by William Wilkins. She died in February 1918.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradley-Hughley, Ella J. 1889 births 1918 deaths American operatic sopranos Singers from Los Angeles 20th-century African-American women singers People from Dallas 19th-century American women musicians Singers from Texas Classical musicians from Texas