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Dinah Washington

The versatile vocalist Dinah Washington was born Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa Alabama on August 29th 1924. She grew up in Chicago where her family moved in 1928.

Her mother was heavily involved in church community centered around St Luke’s Baptist and Dinah was surrounded by gospel and church music since her early childhood. She exhibited musical talents at an early age and was part of the church choir playing the piano and singing gospel in her early teens. At age 15, enamored by Billie Holiday, she started playing and singing the blues in local clubs and made quite a name for herself. In 1942 Lionel Hampton heard her and hired her for to front his band. Hampton claims that it was he who gave her the name Dinah Washington but other sources disagree.

Some suggest the talent agent Joe Glaser suggested the new name and others cite the manager of the bar where she was performing at the time as the person who recommended it. This was also the year when she married her firs husband; John Young (she would marry 6 more times). She remained with Lionel Hampton from 1943-1946 and during this tenure made her recording debut, a blues session produced by Leonard Feather for Keynote records. She became quite popular both as the band singer for Hampton and as a solo artist. She used her new found financial success to buy a home for her mother and sister. She left Hampton’s orchestra early 1946 while she was living in LA and shortly afterwards recorded blues sides for the small Apollo label. Her big break came very shortly afterwards when she signed with Mercury label on January 14 1946. During her stay with Mercury she recorded a number of top ten hits in a multitude of genres including blues, R&B, pop, standards, novelties, even country. She never was strictly a jazz singer but did record number of jazz sessions with some of the most influential musicians of the day including Cannonball Adderley, Clark Terry, and Ben Webster. Her most memorable jazz recording is with Clifford Brown; the classic Dinah Jams from 1955.

After the unexpected commercial success of "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," in 1959, which marked Washington’s breakthrough into the mainstream pop and won her a Grammy; she stopped recording blues and jazz songs and concentrated on more easy listening tunes characterized by lush orchestrations.

Meshell Ndegeocello, Akiko Tsuruga, Patricia Brennan, Caity Gyorgy, Celebrating Dinah Washington (100!), Lyricist Carolyn Leigh, Alice Coltrane & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
September 9, 2024

This broadcast includes new releases from Meshell Ndegeocello, Akiko Tsuruga, Patricia Brennan, Caity Gyorgy and Carla Hassett, with birthday shoutouts to Dinah Washington (100!), Lyricist Carolyn Leigh, Alice Coltrane, Teri Thornton, Vicki Burns, Rosana Eckert, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Adrienne McKay and Mark Winkler, among others, plus a remembrance for guitarist Russell Malone in the first hour. Happy listening and please support the artists you hear by seeing them live and online. Purchase their music so they can continue to distract, ...

Radio & Podcasts

A Posthumous Recording Of Trumpeter Jaimie Branch Plus New Vocal Releases By Alyssa Giammaria, Jonathan Karrant, Maci Miller & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
September 11, 2023

This broadcast includes a posthumous recording from trumpeter Jaimie Branch, plus new vocal releases from Alyssa Giammaria, Jonathan Karrant and Maci Miller, with birthday shoutouts to Dinah Washington, Linda Purl, lyricist Carolyn Leigh, Sinne Eeg, Akiko Tsuruga, Rosana Eckert, Sherrie Maricle, Cecile McLorin Salvant and poet Sara Teasdale, among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by seeing them live and online. Purchase their music so they can continue to distract, comfort, provoke and inspire.

Radio & Podcasts

Love for Sale: Cole Porter from Ella to Iyer + Drinking Songs

by David Brown
June 13, 2023

In week's edition we honor a variety of musicians whose date of birth coincides with this weekend (Pine Top Smith, Hazel Scott, Kenny Barron, Jimmie Lunceford, Jamaaladeen Tacuma). We'll also celebrate the 132nd birthday of composer and song writer Cole Porter as interpreted by a variety of artist thought the evening. Drinking songs will follow, then our weekly Ellington set. And of course, some new releases and acquisitions, here on the Jazz Continuum. Playlist Thelonious Monk “Esistrophy (Theme)" ...

Radio & Podcasts

What Fresh Hell Is This - Celebrating Jazz Virgos Dorothy Parker, Dinah Washington, Alice Coltrane And More

by Mary Foster Conklin
September 5, 2022

This broadcast presents new releases from pianist Jeryl Johnston and DOMi & JD Beck, with birthday shoutouts to lyricist Dorothy Parker (I Wished On the Moon, How Am I To Know), Dinah Washington, Alice Coltrane, Mimi Fox, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Linda May Han Oh, Rosana Eckert, Hilary Gardner and Wayne Shorter among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear on the show—see them live, buy (don't just stream) their music so they can continue to distract, ...

Radio & Podcasts

Lotsa Luck

by H William Stine
October 12, 2021

Good luck, best of luck, lucky day, lucky duck, lucky dog, lucky devil, all the luck, with a little bit of luck, lucky charm, beginners luck, just my luck--are you seeing a pattern here? I saw a musical theme. Lots of “Lucky" song titles and song lyrics, plus a reminder or two that not all luck is good luck. Playlist Cody Owen Stine “Paris Mismatch (Theme Music)" from Unreleased Master 00:00 Frank Sinatra “Luck Be A Lady" from ...

Radio & Podcasts

New Releases Plus Birthday Celebrations for Dinah Washington and Alice Coltrane

by Mary Foster Conklin
September 6, 2021

This broadcast presents new releases from Willie Nelson, who continues his homage to the songs of Frank Sinatra, Wayne Alpern and pianist Rachel Eckroth with birthday shoutouts to Dinah Washington and Alice Coltrane in the second hour, along with guitarist Mimi Fox, vocalists Anita Wardell, Rosana Eckert, Vicki Burns and more. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear on the show by purchasing their music in this time of pandemic so they can continue to distract, comfort ...

Radio & Podcasts

Dinah Washington, Teri Thornton and a Cornucopia of New Releases

by Mary Foster Conklin
September 29, 2018

In this episode we celebrate some heavyweight jazz birthdays --Dinah Washington, Teri Thornton and Alice Coltrane, to name a few. Plus a bumper crop of new releases as summer winds down. Playlist The Diva Jazz Orchestra “The Rhythm Changes" from The Diva Jazz Orchestra: 25th Anniversary Project (ArtistShare) 00:00 Madeleine Peyroux “On a Sunday Afternoon" from Anthem (Universal Music Division Decca Records France) 05:32 Mark Winkler & Cheryl Bentyne “Things Are Swingin'" from Eastern Standard Time (Café ...

Video / DVD

Dinah Washington Centenary: 'Evil Gal Blues'

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
August 31, 2024

The women's movement began with Dinah Washington's voice. If Billie Holiday sang about mistreatment and the blues, Ella Fitzgerald sang youthful swing and Sarah Vaughan elegantly covered jazz-pop, Washington captured the sound of women demanding to be heard and treated well—or else. Her voice in the 1950s was sharp and powerful, like a trumpet or a sudden smack in the face. While Washington sang blues, pop and just about everything else, it was her articulation and phrasing that reverberated with ...
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Video / DVD

Dinah Washington: 'Bargain Day'

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 21, 2022

I wish someone would discover previously unreleased live Dinah Washington recordings. She was such a towering force in popular music, matched only by Nat King Cole. In the late 1940s, after leaving Lionel Hampton's band in 1945, she soon became known as “Queen of the Jukebox"—for her large number of hits and for her forceful voice that came blaring through small jukebox speakers. One of my favorites by Washington is Bargain Day, which was recorded during a session for her ...
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Video / DVD

Dinah Washington on Video

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
June 27, 2013

Of all the many female jazz singers, Dinah Washington remains the most contemporary. Her voice was always cocked and loaded, her phrasing was akin to the sound of a getaway car, and her attitude told you she was not only charge but that you didn't really have a say. Washington was the embodiment of the crossover singer-storyteller—sliding effortlessly between R&B, jazz and pop without ever giving up her soul. Unfortunately, too few of her performances exist on film. The problem ...
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Recording

Clifford Brown "The Singers Sessions With Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan And Helen Merrill: The EmArcy Master Takes Vol. 2" On Hip-O Select / Verve

Source: Michael Ricci
October 18, 2012

Available exclusively at Hip-OSelect.com now and available to all retailers October 23, 2012 Legendary trumpeter Clifford Brown was not only a master bandleader, soloist and composer, he was a supremely sensitive sideman – a welcome addition to any jazz session. The newly released 3-CD set, The Singers Sessions: The EmArcy Master Takes Vol. 2, collects the EmArcy label recordings in which “Brownie” is featured behind three of the greatest singers of his era: in an ensemble behind Dinah Washington during ...
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Recording

Dinah Washington: Singles (1943-53)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
December 1, 2010

There never was any doubt that Dinah Washington was going to be a star. The big surprise was how fast celebrity came and how far she went in the 78-rpm era. In three short years after leaving Lionel Hampton's band in late '45, Washington was crowned Queen of the Jukebox by music critics based on revenue from the machines, earning her a fortune in the process. The Fabulous Miss D: The Keynote, Decca & Mercury Singles 1943-1953—a new four-CD set ...
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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Jeremy Davenport, a Tribute to Dinah Washington, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
September 3, 2010

Many of St. Louis' larger jazz presenters routinely avoid scheduling shows on holidays like Christmas, New year's and Independence Day, and since Labor Day is another weekend that falls into the same category, jazz activity in town will be relatively sparse over the next several days. Jazz at the Bistro and Robbie's House of Jazz are both closed for the holiday weekend, and other fall concert series won't get underway until later in the month. As a result, the best-known ...
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156

Recording

Frances Nero Pays Homage to Dinah Washington on Upcoming Release

Source: All About Jazz
May 8, 2007

After spending much of the past year devoted to her first film project, Frances Nero returns to the music scene with a delicious tribute to Dinah Washington. The new release offers Frances' fresh yet classic take on beloved standards made popular by the Queen of the Blues herself. The limited edition CD will be available for purchase on June 1, 2007 at www.cdbaby.com/francesnero. You can purchase direct from Frances by visiting www.francesnero.com. Lifetime members of her fan club will also ...
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152

Event

LaRe Sings the Blues at Crossroads July 26 in Memory of Dinah Washington

Source: All About Jazz
July 21, 2006

Four-Time Award-Winning (Billboard Magazine) Jazz Singer-Songwriter Sings the Blues

Crossroads presents LaRe sings the Blues in memory of Ms. Dinah Washington

Crossroads 480 Amsterdam Ave/83rd st Upper West Side, NYC Wed July 26th 8-10pm 212-874-9984

No reservations required bar/lounge no cover live performance 8-10pm

Join LaRe at Crossroads with ASCAP winner Jessie Elder on piano for a night of the ...
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137

Recording

Mosaic Records Announces The Release Of The Complete Roulette Dinah Washington Recordings

Source: All About Jazz
December 22, 2004

This music, from the final stage of Dinah Washington's short and turbulent life, is a perfect snapshot of all she was in performance -- the brash belter, claiming and proclaiming her measure of fun and gaiety; the spurned lover, earnestly searching for one more chance, or determinedly wiping the slate clean of all romance; the wry commentator, knowingly chronicling the world's troubles as only she could observe them; and the optimistic dreamer, surrendering to the beauties of life. After 15 ...
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