Lena Horne RIP

[LouieB]

Someone needs to start this thread....

 

A true groundbreaker.

 

LouieB

[PopTodd]

RIP.

A long, fruitful, and impactful life.

[choo-choo-charlie]

A stunningly beautiful woman, a phenomenal vocalist, and one of the best all-around performers from the era. I'm going to have to spin an old LP of hers that I got from my wife's grandmother's unwanted collection.

[Hoodoo Man]

My first exposure to Lena Horne was on Sesame Street. Then later, various appearances on the Tonight Show. I have to admit, as a kid, I really didn't dig her. I couldn't figure out why she was a "star". As an adult,in my efforts to connect with American jazz, I re-discovered Lena Horne and have come to appreciate her vocal style. When I tracked down some biographical info on her a few years ago, I realized why she was a "star". Her persona as a sexy, confident and resilient black woman who made it on her terms in the mostly white, mostly male world of entertainment is what elevated her. Her life is certainly one worth celebrating.

[LouieB]

As an adult,in my efforts to connect with American jazz, I re-discovered Lena Horne and have come to appreciate her vocal style.

I got to thinking about this yesterday. While Horne's performances were informed by jazz, she was not really a jazz singer per se. Clearly she came up during the time when jazz (swing, etc.) was a dominant part of American popular music, but she was far more than a jazz singer and really more of a pop singer, with the ability to act, dance and charm the heck out of everyone. Her social activism was also a major part of her life.

 

Calling Lena Horne a jazz singer is sort of like calling Harry Belefonte a folk singer; those labels are far too narrow for such over sized talents and personalities.

 

LouieB

[choo-choo-charlie]

I got to thinking about this yesterday. While Horne's performances were informed by jazz, she was not really a jazz singer per se. Clearly she came up during the time when jazz (swing, etc.) was a dominant part of American popular music, but she was far more than a jazz singer and really more of a pop singer, with the ability to act, dance and charm the heck out of everyone. Her social activism was also a major part of her life.

 

Calling Lena Horne a jazz singer is sort of like calling Harry Belefonte a folk singer; those labels are far too narrow for such over sized talents and personalities.

 

LouieB

 

Amen.

[embiggen]

My first exposure to Lena Horne was on Sesame Street.

 

me too! she was a class act all the way!