He didn’t take voice lessons. His voice was scrapy, raspy, croaky. His vocal choruses might have been conceived as a kind of comic relief, but they are memorable, and I love them. Individuality is what makes jazz the music that lodges forever in our hearts. Charles Ellsworth “Pee Wee” Russell was an abstract impressionist master of the clarinet. And he could tell a story when he got a chance to sing!
Here are the three recorded examples I know of:
PEE WEE SPEAKS (V-Disc): Muggsy Spanier & His V-Disc All Stars : Muggsy Spanier, cornet; Lou McGarity, trombone; Pee Wee Russell, clarinet, vocal; Boomie Richman, tenor saxophone; Jess Stacy, piano; Hy White, guitar; Bob Haggart, bass; George Wettling, drums. New York, October 17, 1944.
TAKE ME TO THE LAND OF JAZZ (Disc): Pee Wee Russell Jazz Ensemble : Muggsy Spanier, cornet; Vic Dickenson, trombone; Pee Wee Russell, clarinet, vocal; Cliff Jackson, piano; Francis Palmer, bass; Joe Grauso, drums. New York, May 28, 1946.
PEE WEE SQUAWKS (Disc): Muggsy Spanier And His Orchestra : Muggsy Spanier, cornet; Vernon Brown, trombone; Pee Wee Russell, clarinet, vocal; Nick Caiazza, tenor saxophone; Gene Schroeder, piano; Bob Haggart, bass; George Wettling, drums. New York, September 9, 1946.
Sing out, Pee Wee!
May your happiness increase!
JAZZ LIVES 
A great entry, and ironically the featured artist for Clip of the Week tomorrow is Pee Wee
Hooray!