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Biography of Sarah Lois VaughanName: Sarah Lois VaughanBirth Date: March 27, 1924 Death Date: April 3, 1990 Place of Birth: Newark, New Jersey, United States Nationality: American Gender: Female Occupations: singer Sarah Lois Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (1924-1990) was one of jazz's greatest singers for almost half a century. Her rich voice and distinctive style, often applied to popular songs, brought her fame beyond the confines of the jazz world.Sarah Lois Vaughan was born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 27, 1924. Her father was a carpenter and an amateur guitarist; her mother was a laundress and a church vocalist. From the age of 7 Sarah studied piano, and at age 12 became organist and solo vocalist in Newark's Mount Zion Baptist Church choir.In 1942 at the Apollo Theater's weekly Amateur Night Sarah won first prize for a rendition of "Body and Soul" that so impressed jazz singer Billy Eckstine that he persuaded his bandleader, Earl Hines, to hire her. In 1944 Eckstine left Hines's band to form his own and took Sarah (as well as jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker) with him. Vaughan stayed with the …showed first 150 words…
…showed last 150 words…album. On that album, Vaughan's recording of September would be her last.Singer Mel Torme credited Vaughan with having "the best vocal instrument of any singer working in the popular field." New York Times jazz critic John S. Wilson called hers "the finest voice ever applied to jazz." Billy Eckstine said that she was his favorite all-time singer. Alternatively and affectionately known as "Sassy" and "The Divine Sarah" (echoes of Sarah Bernhardt), she commanded respect both as musician and person. Further Reading There are countless articles on Sarah Vaughan but no full-length study as yet. The best short piece is in Gary Giddins' Riding on a Blue Note (1981). By far the most rounded portrayal is to be found in the excellent one-hour documentary film "Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One" (1991), a joint U.S.-Japanese-German production. Additional information is available at the Sarah Vaughan Site at http://www.geocities.com/vienna/8244. |