Remembering the great Dinah Washington who was born this week in 1924. Often called the Queen of the Blues, she was a profoundly influential vocal artist, especially on female rock and roll singers. Washington was noted for her excellent voice control and unique gospel-influenced delivery. At just 15, after winning a local talent contest, she began performing in clubs. By 1941–42, she was already appearing at Chicago venues like Dave’s Café and the Downbeat Room of the Sherman Hotel, where she w

Dinah Washington, forever remembered as the “Queen of the Blues,” was one of the most distinctive voices of the 20th century. Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and raised in Chicago, she began singing in church before joining Lionel Hampton’s band in the 1940s. Her commanding presence and crystal-clear phrasing quickly set her apart. Through the ’40s and ’50s, Washington became a major force in jazz, blues, and R&B, scoring more than two dozen Top 10 hits on the R&B charts. Her 1959 recording “What a