First edition, first printing. Presentation copy inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper "For Burt Britton, who runs a way of life, Whitney Balliett, N.Y.C. 1979". Burt Britton, the book collector and co-founder of Books & Co, also collected self-portraits, or 'self-doodles', from a variety of famous figures, including Whitney Balliett. A book of this collection, Self-Portrait: Book People Picture Themselves was published in 1976. Britton inscribed a copy to Balliett, writing "For Whitney - I'd like to say 'From Your Biggest Fan' but I know all about YOUR PEOPLE, so all I'll say is thanks for your generosity. Burt", including with this note a self-portrait of his own. This volume, dedicated to Teddi King, collects essays on 12 American singers by Whitney Balliett, the acclaimed music and literature critic who wrote for the New Yorker between 1954 and 2001, covering the jazz scene "during its years of greatest development and ferment" (NYT obituary, February 3, 2007). Include in this volume are pieces on Teddi King, Mary Mayo & Barbara Lea, Alberta Hunter, Joe Turner, Helen Humes, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Sylvia Syms, Hugh Shannon, Blossom Dearie, Bobby Short, Mabel Mercer, Anita Ellis.
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