Dinah+Washington

Alabama's own Music Hall of Fame, Dinah Washington. Few had the voice that was versatile, high-picthed, and a beautiful enunciation of every word, like this amazing women. She was most gifted when it came to singing from her heart because she didn't care what kind of music everyone else liked at that period in time. She rocked to her own beat and gave amazing hit again and again.

Ms. Washington, originally Ruth Lee Jones, was born in Tuscalosa, Alabama August 29, 1924. She started off as a young girl playing the piano and directing her church choir, once her family moved to Chicago. At 15, Ruth Jones went to Dusable High School studing the Walter Dyett's programs. When she was 18 she spent her years by going to clubs sing with the bands, not as Ruth Jones, but as Dinah Washington and was later discovered by Lionel Hampton the jazz king. Some say he was the one who gave Ruth her soon to be her Star Name.

In 1942 as a teenager she went on singing R&B, Blues, and Jazz, but refused to sing gospel. Though she know that gospel was so easy to her, she didn't feel that it was right for her to mixed secular and spiritual. Her first hit record was "Evil Gal Blues" in 1943 with record company Keynote Records. Ms. Washington incredible voice was being heard far and wide. She was known has the Queen of Blues and the Queen of the Juke Boxes. Going throught the boundaries of jazz, blues, and popluar music she was the most famous African American singer of the 1950's. Ms. Washington had, by 1955, several songs that blew the R&B charts, with songs that was arranged by Quincy Jones. In 1959 she was awarded a Grammy for the hit song "What a Difference a Day Makes," Best Rhythm and Blues Performances and reach the #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Hit songs. Dinah Washington was a role model to all black female singers such as Aretha Franklin.

Dinah Washington was living large in Queens, New York with her large furs that were worn in any kind of weather, her fancy cars, and her diets. In magazine articles it was said while waering her mink furs she always had two calaber pistols under them. Her personal life was tough going through seven marriages and six divorces, but she always gave her best at giving the world her voice. Dinah, through her career, had problems with her weight going up and down. During her last six month of marriage with football player [|Dick"Night Train" Lane], Dinah, at the age of 39 in 1963, overdosed on sleeping pills and alchol. She was bless ed with a beautiful voice and will be remembered for it. Her fans will remember her for her amazing personality, her wit, and funny ways. From the beginning of her career she gave the world 30 hit albums from 1950-1963. In 1973 she was on the Grammy Hall of Fame and Rok and Roll Hall of Fame for the hit album "Am I Asking too Much?".

Dinah Washington. __Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia__.2008. Feb 22, 2008. 
 * Worked Cited:**

Karen Leipziger. __Queen The Life and Music of Dinah Washington.__ 2004. Feb 16, 2008. 

Dinah Washington. __1991 Inductee life work Award for Performancing Achievement.__ 1991. Feb 16, 2008. 

__Dinah Washington.__ 2007. Early Influence. Feb 18, 2008.