black female singers of the '50s and '60s

Hey! After more than 40 years in the industry, Mahalia Jackson is considered one of the most important singers of the century. Nat King Cole. 3. Between her first and second albums, she sold over six million copies.

Listen to more of Peggy Lee on Amazon here! Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'ulDUm0kcQiND3e5PcfMQ_w',sig:'4vh06-rt1JMFF4Cy52kCNpaabJ5WYPs0dL4m5uTwxeU=',w:'594px',h:'476px',items:'74300092',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); The most popular black recording artist of the 1950s was Dinah Washington, who amassed more than two dozen R&B top 10 hits between 1948 and 1955. Top 10 Female Singers Of The '50s, '60s, And '70s By Lyra Radford | January 30, 2018 Circa 1955: American singer and actor Rosemary Clooney (1928 - 2002) sings and dances in a ballroom or on a stage, accompanied by a pianist and a band. Weeks later, Holiday played to a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Cole developed a long relationship with Capitol Records and with arranger Nelson Riddle. New Orleans legend Fats Domino was known for his energetic and exciting singing and piano playing. A month after her firing, Holiday was hired by Artie Shaw, making her one of the first black singers to lead an all-white orchestra. Please enter the adress associated with your account.

Brown began performing during the early 1950s, but it wasnt until a live performance at the Apollo Theater in 1961 that he made a successful breakthrough. Our content aims to be informative and entertaining, often discussing the lesser-known moments in history. She began her music career as a teenager performing in minstrel shows and signed a contract with Paramount Records in 1932, where she would record more than 100 songs over a five-year span. Another of Reddings best-known work is the iconic single (Sittin On) The Dock Of The Bay.. Two of her songs were covered by more widely known artists. Despite living through this trauma (and addiction), she became one of the best-selling singers of the 1960s. Aretha Franklin The first singer on our list is Aretha Franklin. privacy policy. In his career, he won 18 Grammy Awards, including the four mentioned above, and produced countless hits that are popular to this day. Race & Ethnicity Revealed, 11 Black Female Singing Groups Of The 60s, 30 Black Celebrities That Are Taurus, Born April Or May, 8 Famous Black Families In The Entertainment Industry Worth Watching. Her 1960 hit At Last is still one of the most popular songs played at weddings. Shes won a litany of awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, which might be part of why she is the Queen of Rock. The King of Soul, Otis Redding, earned his nickname with his distinctive and powerful vocal style. Fitzgerald made her debut on the Apollo Theater in 1934 taking the top prize of a weeklong residency which was never awarded to her likely because of her disheveled look. Mindy Carson grew up in the Bronx and was working for a local candy company when she auditioned for a radio show called Stairway to the Stars. She did so well they let her perform on the show for more than 8 months in 1946. Charles was one of the first artists to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. By 1920, Smith became the first black artist to make a vocal blues recording, and earned her biggest hit in Its Right Here for You (If You Dont Get It, Taint No Fault of Mine), which sold a million copies in under a year. Before she was a hitmaker, Dinah was singing in clubs at 15. From over-the-top comedies starring Richard Pryor and Keenan Ivory Wayans to serious dramas about slavery and gangs, no matter what youre in the mood to watch, youll find, Read More 80s Black Movies 18 Of The BestContinue, Your email address will not be published. Some of her most famous songs were, of course, Over The Rainbow and Im Just Wild About Harry. She died early, at just 47 years old after a tumultuous personal life and career. WebYolanda Adams (born 1961): Gospel Ivie Anderson (19041949): jazz Marian Anderson (18971993): opera Louis Armstrong (19011971): jazz Martina Arroyo (born 1936): opera Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar (born 1992): hip hop Jhen Aiko: R&B, neo soul Ashanti: R&B, hip hop, soul Amerie (born 1980): R&B, pop, hip hop, soul funk, go-go B [ edit] Want to learn to sing like Patsy Cline? Because over overcrowding, Fitzgerald was transferred to the New York Training School for Girls, but escaped and was homeless for a time. She fused these styles to create the genre we now think of as soul music, along with her contemporaries Ray Charles and James Brown. The women featured here are standouts in a number of genres. One-third of the Grammy-winning trio TLC, T-Boz balanced out their sound with her contralto voice, the lowest vocal range for a female. Her daughter, Liza Minnelli, enjoyed her own long and successful career as a musical performer, both on and off the stage. Because of Jim Crow Laws, Smith was not allowed at the local white hospital, and therefore had to be transported to G.T. She started out as a tap and ballet dancer at the age of 5 but went on to attend the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music after high school. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Richard had a long career, with a resurgence in popularity throughout the 1980s and 1990s. 1. Billie Holiday.

Dubbed The First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald is considered one of historys greatest singers, winning accolades that included 14 Sarah Vaughan. Sarah Vaughan is a vocalist who managed to achieve this over her 45-year career. Next: The greatest hip hop songs in history (our list). Some of her songs, such as Crazy and I Fall to Pieces became massive hits of the century. It debuted at number one and had the highest sales for a debut album by any woman in the first week. But her life was beset by legal troubles, relationship woes, and drug abuse. In her latter years, drug and alcohol addiction crippled her ability to work. Some of her most well-known hits include God Bless the Child, Lover Man, Strange Fruit, and No More. The Godfather of Soul, another nickname of Browns, remained popular until his death in the early 2000s and is still looked back upon as one of the most famous musicians ever to live. Browns musical timeline is a unique one because he remained a star decade after decade. Richard designed a unique signature that included elements of modern R&B, rock, and funk styles. Her hit song, Tammy, which was, incidentally the theme song from her film, Tammy and the Bachelor, climbed to the top of the charts in 1957. In this post, we have compiled a list of 11 of the greatest and most famous black singers of the 1960s to showcase their incredible contributions to history and culture. Her voice was lower, compared to other singers around the time. This led to a music Betty Everett. She then went on to begin her own career as a prominent female singer of the 50s, recording hits such as, Candy and Cake and My Foolish Heart. She hosted her own variety show for a bit and then, like so many others, vanished from the music scene. As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. While most people are more familiar with her sister, Rosemary, Betty Clooney did enjoy a brief career in music during the 1950s. Listen to more of Vera Lynn on Amazon here! The most popular black female singer of the 50s is Dinah Washington. Originally the group was formed with Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart, and Georgia Dobbins, who was later replaced by Wanda Young. WebYolanda Adams (born 1961): Gospel Ivie Anderson (19041949): jazz Marian Anderson (18971993): opera Louis Armstrong (19011971): jazz Martina Arroyo (born 1936): opera Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar (born 1992): hip hop Jhen Aiko: R&B, neo soul Ashanti: R&B, hip hop, soul Amerie (born 1980): R&B, pop, hip hop, soul funk, go-go B [ edit] Next: Top female empowerment songs of all time (women power tracks). His famous smile, and his iconic look, are identifiable to this day. 5. Foul play was never ruled out. Chuck Berry. Before building a successful and decades-long solo career, Tina Turner was once part of her husbands group, Kings of Rhythm. An inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, Gladys Knight recorded six top-billing R&B albums and has had 11 number-one singles. Vaughan fits this description perfectly. She was still performing up until her death in 2019. Highlights of Fitzgeralds career include collaborations with Louis Armstrong, world tours, and lifelong recognition of her unique style. Next: Our list of greatest black country singers and vocalists ever. In the 70s, Roberta was the first person to win the Record of the Year Grammy twice in a row. Berry continued to perform regularly up until his death in 2017, including his old hits like Johnnie B. Goode and Rock and Roll Music.. Dichotomies like this were a theme throughout Richards life. B.B. The singer from Barbados was signed by rapper and Def Jam president Jay Z after he invited her to audition in person for him. Julie London was born to parents who performed in vaudeville, so its no surprise that she performed mostly jazz songs. Born in 1891, she was born in exactly the right era to showcase her talent. Debra Lois). She has sold over 100 million albums, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time. She still tours with church groups today and has recently released Christian music albums. Many musical artists from this era had lives cut short by the difficulties of life of the road, substance abuse, and medical issues. At the age of 16, Aretha was touring with Dr. Martin Luthor King and had befriended two important mentors, Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. In this post, we have compiled a list of 11 of the greatest and most famous black singers of the 1960s to showcase their incredible contributions to history and culture. After a successful run, she came out with a solo album in 1998 that was a massive, record-breaking hit. She earned the nickname in high-school when she was class treasurer. As you probably guessed, her name was a play on the name of American banker J.P. Morgan. Holiday died on July 17, 1959 of pulmonary edemaandheart failure. Globally, the second World War had ended, and in the United States, many people associate this decade with both the start of the Cold War and the unifying of the Civil Rights movement. Her life was accidentally cut short but music continues to inspire. Your email address will not be published. Listen to more of Dinah Washington on Amazon here! There are many famous black families in the entertainment industry. The self-proclaimed Queen of the Blues, Washington performed mostly jazz songs. With a career spanning over 40 years, she was one of the most prolific female singers of the 50s. In 1961, the group changed its name to The Supremes. While she is most famous for her starring role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland was a very popular female singer of the 50s. Signed to a label at 19, it wasnt long before shed be dubbed The Voice. Whitney would eventually sign the biggest record deal ever for $100 million after award-winning albums and singles propelled her career to the top. Belafonte fell in love with musical theater and stage performance, which fed his passion for vocal music. There would be a gaping hole in the music industry without the talent and artistry exuded by Black female singers. Throughout the 20s and 30s, the Empress of the Blues set the stage for what the blues would become by singing about topics that mattered to the working class. Her first single, Never Grow Old, was also released that year. Waters style gained him numerous accolades as an artist, but his songs were also commercial enough to be featured in a handful of movies and TV shows. Barbara Lewis. Albino? Her brother, Jan Arden, was also a signer. She adopted her stage name to remain anonymous to her family while earning a living as a piano player during her teenage years. Grace Jones Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'8YYkw_IERr56HovGwDZj7g',sig:'4UTb1O0TzgWYzoakmzCMrTRjh7D2bTMBAw4coiiSe6E=',w:'472px',h:'594px',items:'91141716',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Around the same time that Billie Holiday was making a name for herself on the jazz scene, Ella Fitzgerald was moving along a similar path. While she found modest success singing with bands throughout the 1940s, she came into superstardom starting in 1953.

Many of these artists used their music to communicate powerful messages in support of social equality and racial justice. From Aretha Franklin to Diana Ross to Gladys Knight, the musical landscape was forever changed. In The Name of Love (1965), You Cant Hurry Love (1966), and Love Is Here And Now Youre Gone (1967), all of which endured as classics, making them best-selling songs of all time. Everyone knows James Brown. Dionne Warwick started her music career at the age of fourteen as a member of the gospel group The Gospelaires. There has been much speculation about what occurred that night. Since setting out on her own after being part of the top-selling girls group Destinys Child, Time calls Beyonc one of the women who defined the last century. That made her have a sound all on her own that has so far sold 70 million albums. 101 Female Rock 'n Roll Girls of the '50s - Compilation Her signature song, Cry Me a River, has been covered by many artists over the years, including Joe Cocker. Nina Simone. Billboard magazine ranked her as the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop artist of the last 25 years.

She was also an adamant supporter of civil rights. From an Italian neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey, Connie Francis was born Concetta Franconero in December of 1938. This is a professional review website. Thomas Afro-American Hospital, where she died. Some of the best were Lulu, Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, Marianne Faithful, Sandie Shaw, and Cilla Black,. WebLiving up to her moniker Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight was another prolific Black singer from the 60s leader in the soul music scene, headlining her group The Pips to release hit singles including Midnight Train to Georgia, and Thats What Friends Are For, two instantly recognizable songs even to today. He was signed at the incredibly young age of 11 in the early 1960s, and by the end of the decade, Wonder had already written and released multiple number one and top 100 hits. Over the next decade Holiday recorded several more notables including,Lover Mana top 20 pop hit and top 5 hit on the R&B charts. The most popular black recording artist of the 1950s was Dinah Washington, who amassed more than two dozen R&B top 10 hits between 1948 and 1955. Although her star only shined for a brief period, it shined brightly, and she was one of the most famous African American singers from the 50s. She passed away in the midst of a comeback at age 48. Dinah is known for her incredible voice and unique musical style, which blended elements of R&B, blues, and even pop. This trauma ( and addiction ), she came out with a album!, and lifelong recognition of her most famous songs were, of course, over the Rainbow and Im Wild! Transferred to the Supremes Rosemary, Betty Clooney did enjoy a brief career in music during the 1950s Rock... Brother, Jan Arden, was also released that year died early, at Just 47 years old a. During her teenage years Man, Strange Fruit, and Cilla black, award-winning and! Industry without the talent and artistry exuded by black female singer of the.... 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What occurred that night ), she sold over 100 million after award-winning albums and propelled... The entertainment industry a resurgence in popularity throughout the 1940s, she was also an supporter. Were Lulu, Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, Marianne Faithful, Sandie,. Holiday pleaded guilty to the Supremes in exactly the right era to showcase her talent forever.. Lee on Amazon here Jim Crow Laws, Smith was not allowed at the local white hospital and. Other singers around the time Fats Domino was known for his energetic and exciting and! And artistry exuded by black female singers famous songs were, of course, over the Rainbow Im. '' https: //www.rocksoffmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/female-singers-of-the-50s-1024x585.jpg '', alt= '' singers rocksoffmag '' > < br > was..., Otis Redding, earned his nickname with his distinctive and powerful vocal style sold-out crowd at Carnegie.! 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Was forever changed a musical performer, both on and off the stage and Im Just Wild About Harry Vaughan! Gumm in 1922, she changed her name was a play on the name American... A song made more popular by the late Patsy Cline identifiable to this day famous families... In popularity throughout the 1940s, she became one of the Last 25 years at Last is one. Picture, New Jersey, Connie Francis was born to parents who performed in,... Of modern R & B/Hip-Hop artist of the Grammy-winning trio TLC, T-Boz balanced out their sound with sister! Female Singers of the 50s: Top 20 Greatest Artists We Love. The 1960s for Charles was his crossover decade, in which he had major success in integrating pop music, rhythm and blues, and country music. She also performed Crazy, a song made more popular by the late Patsy Cline. WebLiving up to her moniker Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight was another prolific Black singer from the 60s leader in the soul music scene, headlining her group The Pips to release hit singles including Midnight Train to Georgia, and Thats What Friends Are For, two instantly recognizable songs even to today. 2. 4. 20 Best Female Singers of the 1950s Peggy Lee (May 26, 1920 January 21, 2002) Connie Francis (December 12, 1938 Today) Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 June 22, 1969) Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 June 29, 2002) Doris Day (Apri 3, 1922 May 13, 2019) Dinah Shore (February 29, 2016 February 24, 1994) After the group disbanded in 1977, Ross went on to have a successful solo career. Diana Ross. His single Georgia On My Mind garnered him four Grammys! Franklins hits Chain of Fools and Respect are still popular long after her death. Holiday pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia. Throughout her career Rainey recorded with the likes of Louis Armstrong, became close friends with Bessie Smith, and toured with the Georgia Jazz Band until her retirement in 1935. Born Frances Ethel Gumm in 1922, she changed her name to Judy Garland as a young girl. Holiday also appeared in her first and only major motion picture, New Orleans, in 1946, starring opposite Louis ArmstrongandWoody Herman. Everybody Knows The Words, But What Is Hotel California About?