Subject: Dinah Washington 'The One' ?
From:
GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 21 Dec 05 - 04:08 AM
I believe that the popular singing in the 20th century can be summed up in two styles a) dance/swing band style singers and b) those singers who fall under the broad umbrella of rock/soul music - and the music that inspired it i.e. gospel, blues, etc. Now, is there a singer who could be said be great in both those categories? Well, not many I would venture to say. Some, like Sinatra, are great in one category or the other - but both categories? I reckon, Ray Charles' name would come quickly to a lot of peoples minds, and maybe, even, Bobby Darin BUT nobody fits the bill better than Dinah Washington. She is always mentioned - along with Billy Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan - as an all-time great swing band singer, AND, of course, her gospel inspired vocals were a massive influence on the young Aretha Franklin. For that gospel sound, try to hear her duets with Brook Benton. And, if I had to pick one track, to sum up how brilliant she was in both rock/soul and dance band/standards, it would be " It Could happen to You". Finally, and ironically, Dinah has never made the top 50 in any of the lists of greatest pop vocalists of the 20th century.
|
sj
