Jazz and Blues Singer Dinah Washington

Dinah Washington (born August 29, 1924, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S.—died December 14, 1963, Detroit, Michigan) was an American jazz and blues singer noted for her excellent voice control and unique gospel-influenced delivery. Often called the Queen of the Blues, she was a profoundly influential vocal artist, especially on female rock and roll singers.

From 1943 to 1946 Washington sang with the Lionel Hampton band and in 1946 began a successful solo career. During the period from 1949 to 1955, her recordings were consistently among the top 10 hits on the rhythm-and-blues (R&B) charts. Her first hit song was “Evil Gal Blues,” and it was followed by such others as “Am I Asking Too Much” and “Baby Get Lost.” She later crossed over to the popular music market, in which she had her greatest commercial success, notably with “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes.” The song won her a Grammy Award in 1959 for best R&B performance.

Washington died at age 39 from an accidental overdose of prescription medications for weight control and insomnia. In 1993 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.