Washington, Dinah

Washington, Dinah

 orig. Ruth Lee Jones

(born Aug. 29, 1924, Tuscaloosa, Ala., U.S.—died Dec. 14, 1963, Detroit, Mich.) U.S. singer. Washington sang in church choirs as a child. She joined Lionel Hampton's band in 1943, embarking on a solo career in 1946. Her recordings encompassed a wide variety of idioms including rhythm and blues, jazz, and country music; her “What a Difference a Day Makes” (1959) was a pop hit. Known as “Queen of the Blues,” she combined precise diction and intonation with an alternately gentle and brassy vocal timbre, and her voice was remarkable for its clarity and projection. She had remarkable vocal control. Even after she crossed over to the popular (pop) music market, in which she had her greatest commercial success, Washington retained many of her earlier fans because of her passionate, supple style.

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Washington, Dinah (b. Ruth Jones) (1924–63) jazz vocalist; born in Tuscaloosa, Ala. An original stylist rooted in gospel music, she began with the Sara Martin Singers and was featured with Lionel Hampton between 1943–46. Despite her turbulent personal life and premature death, she developed a successful solo career and was a pervasive influence on female soul and rock singers beginning in the 1950s.