Sullivan began her music career singing in her uncle's band, The Red Hot Peppers, in her native Pennsylvania, in which she occasionally played the
flugelhorn and the
valve trombone, in addition to singing. In the mid 1930s, she was discovered by Gladys Mosier (then working in
Ina Ray Hutton's
big band). Mosier introduced her to pianist
Claude Thornhill, which led to her first recordings made in June 1937. During this period, she began forming a professional and close personal relationship with
bassist John Kirby, who became her second husband in 1938. This early success "branded" Sullivan's style, leading her to sing similar swing arrangements of traditional folk tunes mostly arranged by Thornhill, such as "
If I Had a Ribbon Bow" and "
I Dream of Jeanie". Her early popularity also led to a brief appearance in the 1938 film
Going Places with
Louis Armstrong. In 1940, Sullivan and Kirby were featured on the radio program
Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm, making them the first black jazz stars to have their own weekly radio series. During the 1940s, Sullivan then performed with a wide range of bands, including her husband's
sextet and groups headed by Teddy Wilson, Benny Carter, and Jimmie Lunceford. Sullivan performed at many of New York's hottest jazz spots such as the Ruban Bleu, the
Village Vanguard, the Blue Angel, and the Penthouse. From 1958, Sullivan worked as a nurse before resuming her musical career in 1966, shortly before her death. ==Personal life==