Dinah Washington Biography, Photos and Posters

Dinah Washington

Biography

Born: August 29, 1924
City and Country of Origin: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Music Background: played piano and sang in the church choir; Walter Dyett's renowned music program at DuSable High School
Awards: Grammy 1959 Best Rhythm & Blues Performance, "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes;" 1998 (1959 recording), "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes;" 1999 (1954 recording) R&B (Single), "Teach Me Tonight;" 2001 (1959 recording), "Unforgettable;" 1984 inducted into Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame; 1993 inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Top Recordings: "That's All I Want From You," "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," "Baby You've Got What It Takes," "This Bitter Earth," "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall In Love)"
Dinah Washington Biography: Ruth Lee Jones, known professionally as Dinah Washington was a blues, R&B and jazz singer. She was known as the Queen of the Blues due to her powerful vocals and her emotional delivery. In spite of the fact that she died at a very young age she is remembered as one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century.

She moved with her family to Chicago while she was still a child. When she was 16 she toured the U.S. gospel circuit with Roberta Martin, accompanying her at the piano. For a time she performed in clubs as Dinah Washington while still singing gospel as Ruth Jones. She did not believe in commercializing gospel music and never included it in her professional repertoire.

In 1942 she joined Lionel Hampton's band. She got her first recording contract, in 1943, with Keynote Records where she scored a number of R&B hits like "Baby, Get Lost," "Trouble in Mind," "You Don't Know What Love Is" (arranged by Quincy Jones), and a cover of "Cold, Cold Heart" by Hank Williams.

She married tenor saxophonist Eddie Chamblee. The following year she appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival. In 1959 she won the Grammy for her hit single "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes." In 1960 she had 2 top ten hit duets with Brook Benton "You've Got What It Takes" and "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall In Love.)"

Ms. Washington was married 7 times in the U.S. and and eigth time in Stockholm, Sweden. Six month after her marriage to NFL player Dick "Night Train" Lane she died from an accidental overdose of a prescription sleeping medication. She was only 39 years old at the time of her death.
Died: December 14, 1963

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