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Sarah Vaughan biography

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  • PLACE OF DEATH: Hidden Hills, California
  • AKA: Sassy
  • Nickname: the Divine One
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Sarah Vaughan was an American jazz vocalist with an incredibly rich and wide vocal range. Her nicknames were "Sassy" and "The Divine One."


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Sarah Vaughan was a jazz vocalist who sang in her church choir and then won an amateur contest at the famed Apollo Theatre in 1942. By the mid-1940s, she was appearing on television variety show, soon known by the nickname "Sassy." She had a three octave range and is regarded as one of the greatest of all jazz singers. She was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame the same year she died, 1990.

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    • Apollo Legends

      Many African-Americans made their name performing at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, including Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix. The roster of talented artists who made their careers after a successful amateur night at the Apollo grew so large, that the venue earned a reputation as the place to jump-start the career of an ambitious hopeful. Other performers, like Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson, came to the theater after experiencing big professional success, adding further credibility to the historic New York concert hall. Explore the biographies of some of the more notable African-Americans who stepped out onto the Apollo stage, making entertainment history.

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    • Jazz Singers

      Jazz vocalists have made immeasurable contributions to the American songbook. Not only was Louis Armstrong renowned for his innovations as a trumpet soloist, but he also had a distinctive, gravelly voice that incorporated swing and humor. A host of other jazz singers enjoyed great popularity in the mid-20th century, including Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne and Nina Simone. Several established careers in film and television as well. Contemporary artists like Harry Connick Jr. and Diana Krall continue to carry the musical baton.

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      Jazz Singers 18 people in this group

    • Famous Arians 481 people in this group

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