Dinah Washington (1924-1963)

Subject: Dinah Washington
From: cptsnapper
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 04:10 PM

I'm listening to Russell Davies on BBC Radio 2 and he's just said thatit's 45 years to theday since Dinah Washington died. Time is certainly passing by quickly. I always liked her singing which i thought was powerful but in an relatively understated way.

Subject: RE: Dinah Washington
From: Art Thieme
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 05:03 PM

Yes, she did a very nice job. I enjoyed her a lot.

In the 1950s--my high-school years (56-57-58-59) there was a nice jazz festival started in a rather large exposition center in the town of Evansville, Indiana---on the Ohio River. Back then I was spending my summers in Evansville---working in the shipping department of my Uncle Bud's factory. I was overjoyed when the festival was started. Louis Armstrong, Brubeck and Paul Desmond, and Dinah Washington were 4 that I recall.

I was from Chicago, and never realized there was such a large resentment of African Americans and caucasians mixing in Southern Indiana; I always thought of Indiana as being a northern state with more enlightenment. But southern Illinois is like a southern state too. The Civil Rights fights of the 1960s put light on racism all over the USA.

This is not thread drift! Stay with me.

My aunt and uncle lived on the east side of town. There was a nice home on that street where a Doctor Grieb lived---I think his name was. His wife had passed away. --- When the folks came into town to play the festival, many were put up in area homes. Dinah Washington stayed with the good doctor---and the tongues started spewing venom as soon as word got out. I recall being pretty damn angry with people I had come to know and have real affection for. When I saw Dinah Washington coming out of that house one day, I made a point of running over there and telling her what a good time I'd had hearing her set the previous niight.

I doubt Dinah Washington or the doctor ever heard about the rude talk. She left town right after the festival. But it was an enlightening time for me. After that I was able to take more note of racism when it reared it's head. I could see it in myself better too. And I do hope I became a better person for having had this small encounter with Dinah Washington.

Cpotsnappoer, your thread brought all of it back to me. Thanks for that. Those summers were mostly good memories of growing up and breaking out years and first loves. Even these other memories are good in looking back.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Dinah Washington
From: akenaton
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 05:06 PM

Hi 'snapper.....I'm a Dinah fan too.....her version of "September in the rain" is one of my all time favourites and the musical arrangement is beautiful...Ake

Subject: RE: Dinah Washington
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 08:19 AM

There is a case for saying that Dinah was the greatest popular singer of the 20th century. Sinatra could swing, and Elvis could rock. But Dinah! She could rock with the best of them - and swing with the best of them.

Subject: RE: Dinah Washington
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 20 Aug 16 - 04:48 PM

"This Bitter Earth," with its lyrics hinting at "Strange Fruit," is the Dinah Washington song that stops me in my tracks to this day, I suppose because it reminds me of a "spiritual" and there is a righteousness to it. And yet as I recall, the lyrics are not overtly religious and there is no mention of "G*d", repentance, or redemption.

Subject: RE: Dinah Washington
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Aug 16 - 03:49 PM

There is a Dinah Washington biography now. Not new, it was done long-enough ago to interview the man who was twice married to her, one of her many marriages. And many others who were part of her life. Perhaps some punches were pulled in order to stay on good terms with people, but it is pretty earthy stuff; Dinah Washington was driven and complex. One of those artists whose singing was a healing influence for some wounded listeners, but who only accomplished so much toward healing wounds of their own -- and at the end of the day, some other people got hurt as well. Much triumph in the life story, and much to regret also.

Subject: RE: Dinah Washington (1924-1963)
From: keberoxu
Date: 15 Dec 17 - 11:41 AM

I was searching Mudcat for references to jazz singer Betty Carter.
For some reason, this pulled up a thread to a blues song,
Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning.
That song goes all the way back to Alberta Hunter and Louis Armstrong,
and Dinah Washington recorded it right before her untimely death.

I don't spy, looking at individual threads,
linking connections to other Dinah Washington threads

and the many little attempted threads about
Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning
(two of which separately post full lyrics)
are not linked together either.

I have yet to listen to this recording in fact.

But I have heard Dinah Washington sing everything from
This Bitter Earth to
Let's Do It.