Dinah Washington was born 90 years ago today. A pianist, blues, R&B, gospel, pop and jazz singer, Washington has been cited as the most popular black female recording artist of the 50s,” and called The Queen of the Blues.” Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and moved to Chicago as a child, Washington became deeply involved in gospel and played piano for the choir in St. Lukes Baptist Church while she was still in elementary school. She sang gospel music in church and played piano, directing her church choir in her teens and being a member of the Sallie Martin Gospel Singers. She sang lead with the first female gospel singers formed by Martin, who was co-founder of the Gospel Singers Convention. Jones involvement with the gospel choir occurred after she won an amateur contest at Chicagos Regal Theater where she sang I Cant Face the Music.” She made her recording debut for the Keynote label that December with Evil Gal Blues,” written by Leonard Feather and backed by Hampton and musicians from his band, including Joe Morris (trumpet) and Milt Buckner (piano). Both that record and its follow-up, Salty Papa Blues,” made Billboards Harlem Hit Parade in 1944. She stayed with Hamptons band until 1946 and, after the Keynote label folded, signed for Mercury Records as a solo singer. Her first record for Mercury, a version of Fats Wallers Aint Misbehavin’,” was another hit, starting a long string of success. Washington was at once one of the most beloved and controversial singers of the mid-20th century — beloved to her fans, devotees and fellow singers; controversial to critics who still accuse her of selling out her art to commerce and bad taste. Her principal sin, apparently, was to cultivate a distinctive vocal style that was at home in all kinds of music, be it R&B, blues, jazz, middle of the road pop. Hers was a gritty, salty, high-pitched voice, marked by absolute clarity of diction and clipped, bluesy phrasing. Early on the morning of December 14, 1963, Washingtons seventh husband Lane went to sleep with his wife, and awoke later to find her slumped over and not responsive. Dr. B. C. Ross came to the scene to pronounce her dead. An autopsy later showed a lethal combination of secobarbital and amobarbital, which contributed to her death at the age of 39. Here, Washington performs “All of Me.”
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 04:17:08 +0000
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