Results for "Vocalist"

Al Jolson

Born: May 26, 1885

Al Jolson lived "The American Dream." Born in Lithuania, Jolson rose through the ranks of vaudeville as a comedian and a blackface "Mammy" singer. By 1920, he had become the biggest star on Broadway, but he is probably best remembered for his film career. He starred in THE JAZZ SINGER (1927), the first talking movie ever made, and his legend was assured in 1946 with the release of the successful biography of his life called THE JOLSON STORY. Jolson was the first openly Jewish man to become an entertainment star in America. His marginal status as a Jew informed his blackface portrayal of Southern blacks

Robert Johnson

Born: May 8, 1911

“King of the Delta Blues Singers” More than half a century after his death, Robert Johnson, the legendary Mississippi Delta blues singer, remains an enigma. A provocative and influential figure in the blues field, Johnson revealed his remarkable musical skills around the age of 20 in 1931. He completed only two recording sessions--one in 1936 and the other in 1937--prior to his untimely death in 1938. Very little was known about Johnson when his first album was released in 1961. By the time Columbia Records released “Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings” in 1990, slightly more information had come to light, but the mystery endures. Like that of other early Delta blues singers, the music of Robert Johnson arose from an oral tradition that began with a mixture of field hollers, chants, fiddle tunes and religious music and ended up as the blues

Eddie Jefferson

Born: August 3, 1918

Although there were a couple obscure early examples (Bee Palmer in 1929 and Marion Harris in 1934, both performing “Singing the Blues”), Eddie Jefferson is considered the founder, and premier performer of vocalese, the art of taking a recording and writing words to the solos, which Jefferson was practicing as early as 1949. Eddie Jefferson’s first career was as a tap dancer but in the bebop era he discovered his skill as a vocalese lyricist and singer. He wrote lyrics to Charlie Parker’s version of “Parker’s Mood” and Lester Young’s “I Cover the Waterfront” early on, and he is responsible for “Moody’s Mood for Love” (based on James Moody’s alto solo on “I’m in the Mood for Love”)

Herb Jeffries

Born: September 24, 1850

Blind Lemon Jefferson

Born: September 24, 1883

Considering he was the most popular male blues recording artist of the 1920s, we know surprisingly little about Blind Lemon Jefferson. Between 1925 and 1929, he made at least 100 recordings, including alternate versions of some songs. Had 43 records issued, all but one on the Paramount label, where he became the first black male singer/guitarist to have a hit. He inspired a generation of male bluesmen, but had few imitators, due to the complexity of his guitar playing and the distinctiveness of his high, clear voice. Born in Couchman, in Freestone County, Texas, blind from childhood, possibly even from birth, he may have had some residual sight (which would explain his wearing clear, rather than dark, glasses.) Jefferson received no formal education and instead traveled from town to town in the Wortham area, playing his guitar and singing songs, most of which were his own compositions

Al Jarreau

Born: March 12, 1940

Al Jarreau’s unique vocal style is one of the world’s most precious treasures. His innovative musical expressions have made him one of the most exciting and critically-acclaimed performers of our time with seven Grammy® Awards, scores of international music awards and popular accolades worldwide.

It’s not surprising that he has perfected his technique to such an art. After all, he has been singing since the age of four, harmonizing with his brothers and performing solo at a variety of local events in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Music, however, was not always the major force in his life. He excelled in sports and was an above-average student throughout high school and college.

Toni Jannotta

Toni Jannotta, a native of Los Angeles, has been performing locally and abroad for the past 30+ years. She has three vocal jazz CD's ("Just Jazz," "Jazz at the Ranch," and "Is It Magic?"), one documentary film ("Voices of the Homeless"), and her original children's book with accompanying jazz suite with storytelling, ("My Little Heart, Ruthie") in 2017.

Her CDs are produced and recorded under her label, Aerie Records, with "Just Jazz" and "Jazz at the Ranch" distributed worldwide by TCB Music, The Montreux Jazz Label, in Montreux, Switzerland. "Is It Magic?" and "My Little Heart, Ruthie" can be found on the web via CD Baby. "My Little Heart, Ruthie" is also sold as a hard copy picture book via Book Baby, or for one-stop shopping on Amazon. Her most recent original songs, "Gypsy Girl," and "How've You Been?" can be found on all streaming platforms.

Etta James

Born: January 25, 1938

Etta James began her long career as a singer early, singing doo-wop as a teenager in the 1950s. She has enjoyed equal success crooning blues ballads, belting out rhythm and blues and rock and roll, or interpreting jazz. While the ease with which she can navigate these various styles demonstrates her impressive skill, it has also served to confound the music industry as to how to categorize her. In the late 20th century and into the next, James has finally been widely acknowledged as one of the most talented singers of her era. James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California, on January 25, 1938

Mahalia Jackson

Born: October 26, 1911

Mahalia Jackson rose from Deep South poverty to world renown as a passionate gospel singer. Closely associated with the black civil rights movement, Miss Jackson was chosen to sing at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington rally at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. "I been 'buked and I been scorned/ I'm gonna tell my Lord/ When I get home/ Just how long you've been treating me wrong," she sang in a full, rich contralto to the throng of 200,000 people as a preface to Dr. King's "I've got a dream" speech. That was truly a historic occasion. The song, which Dr. King had requested, came as much from Miss Jackson's heart as from her vocal cords

Jacintha

Born: October 3, 1957

Jacintha - vocalist Jacintha Abisheganaden, was born on 3 October 1957, in Singapore, Malaysia. Jacintha's Chinese mother sang and played the piano and her Sri Lankan father played classical guitar and was also interested in jazz guitar. She studied piano and voice from her early teens and also sang in the Singapore Youth Choir. After winning a local television talent contest, Talentime, she attended the National University of Singapore, graduating with an honors degree in English, and then went to America where she studied creative writing at Harvard University. Jacintha remained in the USA for a little while, including a spell in Hawaii where she formed her own band