Dinah Washington's
Top 10 Records |
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Name: Dinah Washington
| Nee: |
Ruth Lee Jones |
| Born: |
29 Aug 1924 |
| Died: |
14 Dec 1963 |
| Origin: |
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States |
| Instruments: |
Vocal |
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Dinah Washington was raised in Chicago and first sang in the church choir. She also played the piano for the choir. She started singing in local clubs where she was heard by Lionel Hampton who hired her on the spot. She recorded hits with
'Evil Gal Blues', written by Leonard Feather, and 'Salty Papa Blues'. Dinah Washington stayed with Hampton from 1943 to 1946 and when she left she went on to sing R & B achieving another success with 'Blow Top Blues' and 'I Told You Yes I Do'
Dinah Washington had a rich voice, and part oh her great talent was to put so much emotion into her singing that even the most trite lyrics appeared deeply moving.
'What A Diff'rence A Day Makes', was one of her biggest solo hits reaching number 8 in the USA in May 1959. Another of her popular hits was 'September In The Rain', which made number 35 in the UK in November 1961. She usually sang alone but in the late 1950's she recorded some duets with her husband at the time, Eddie Chamblee. These records did have some success so in 1960 she recorded songs with Brook Benton, 'Baby (You've Got What It Takes)' which reached number 5 in the US charts, and 'A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)', which reached number 7 in the US charts. Both records were enormously popular.
Dinah Washington enjoyed her success, and spent her money on cars, furs, jewellery, men, drink and drugs. She had just married for the seventh time when she took a lethal mixture of pills after having too much to alcohol. This was probably an accident but her death was a great loss to the jazz scene. She was the most versatile of all singers to have worked in jazz. |
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