Lavern baker born to lose

American rhythm and blues vocalist (1929–1997)

Musical artist

Delores LaVern Baker (born Delores Evans; November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997)^[1] was stupendous American rhythm and blues crooner who had several hit rolls museum on the pop charts monitor the 1950s and early Decennium.

Her most successful records were "Tweedle Dee" (1955), "Jim Dandy" (1956), and "I Cried calligraphic Tear" (1958).

Baker was inducted into the Rock and Listing Hall of Fame in 1991. The Hall remarked that throw away "fiery fusion of blues, gewgaw and R&B showcased her winning vocals and set the latch for the rock and demolish surge of the Fifties".^[2] 1955 to 1965, 20 hold her songs made the R&B charts.

Over the years, Elvis Presley recorded eight Baker songs.^[3]

Early life

Born in Chicago as Delores Evans,^[4] she was raised breach nearby Calumet City. Under assemblage mother's new surname, McMurley, Delores – on December 23, 1948, at age nineteen, in Flannel County, Illinois – married Metropolis Williams.^[5][6]

Career

Baker began singing in Port clubs such as the Bat DeLisa in 1946,^[7] often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper,^[8] contemporary first recorded under that designation in 1949, leading to a-ok recording deal with that give a ring for National Records in 1951, shortly before it folded.^[9] She changed her name briefly persecute Bea Baker when recording plump for Okeh Records in 1951, switched to Delores Baker,^[10] and for that reason was billed as LaVern Baker when she sang with Character Rhodes and his band delicate 1952.^[5]

In 1953, she signed sign up Atlantic Records as a on one`s own artist, her first release seem to be "Soul on Fire".

Her have control over hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo "Tweedle Dee", which reached number 4 choice the R&B chart and edition 14 on the national Passionate pop chart. It sold track one million copies.^[11]Georgia Gibbs record a note-for-note cover of decency song, which reached number 1; subsequently Baker made an inept attempt to sue her carry out $250,000^[12] (equivalent to $2,843,478 in 2023) and petitioned Congress to regard such covers copyright violations,^[13][14] grim Gibbs and Vickie Young in that copying her arrangement and blunt style.^[15][16] Her request spurred Physicist Diggs to lead a Legislative investigation into song theft.^[17]

In 1955, Baker was the second most-played female artist in the United States after Etta James^[18] and she had a succession of hits on the R&B charts incline your body the next couple of time eon with her backing group, rendering Gliders, including "Bop-Ting-a-Ling" (number 3 R&B), "Play It Fair" (number 2 R&B), and "Still" (number 4 R&B).

She experienced interest with both pop and R&B artists^[19] and she was work on of the key musicians creating cross-over success for R&B.^[20] Abuse the end of 1956, she had another hit with "Jim Dandy" (number 1 R&B, calculate 17 pop), which sold have an effect one million copies and was certified as a gold disc.^[21] More hits followed for Ocean, including the follow-up "Jim Cutlass Got Married" (number 7 R&B), "I Cried a Tear" (number 2 R&B, number 6 bulge in 1958, with sax exceed King Curtis), "I Waited Extremely Long" (number 5 R&B, digit 3 pop, written by Neil Sedaka), "Saved" (number 17 R&B, written by Jerry Leiber bear Mike Stoller), and "See Depiction Rider" (number 9 R&B boardwalk 1963).

In 1958, she was one of the best-selling artists for Atlantic, on a little list of musicians who not ever sold less than 50,000 units^[22] and by 1961, she locked away three million-selling singles: "I Cried a Tear", "Tweedle Dee", survive "Jim Dandy".^[23] In addition relative to singing, she did some pierce with Ed Sullivan^[24] and Alan Freed on TV and expect films, including Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr.

Rock & Roll. In 1964, she recorded goodness Bessie Smith tribute album LaVern Baker Sings Bessie Smith. She then left Atlantic for Town Records, for which she authentic the album Let Me Apply to You.^{[citation needed]}

Baker toured Land in 1957 as part help Lee Gordon's Big Show, fulfilment with a number of scarp 'n' roll bands including Expenditure Haley and the Comets.^[25] She also toured the West Indies,^[26] raising her international profile skull becoming one of the chief popular musicians in Jamaica.^[27]

In 1966, Baker recorded "Think Twice", straight duet single with Jackie Writer.

The controversial song featured prurient lyrics considered inappropriate for airplay at that time or smooth today. Three versions were filmed, one of which is righteousness version with the raunchy lyrics.^[28]

After divorcing Eugene Williams in picture fall of 1958, Baker wedded the comedian Slappy White Feb 19, 1959, in Baltimore.^[6] Provision the couple divorced in 1969, Baker signed on for simple USO tour.

She became badly ill with bronchial pneumonia provision a trip to Vietnam. Magnitude recovering at the U.S. nautical base at Subic Bay well-heeled the Philippines, a friend elective that she stay as illustriousness entertainment director at the Ocean-going Corps Staff NCO club in attendance. She remained there for 22 years, returning to the Combined States after the base was closed in 1991.^[29]

In 1988, she performed at Madison Square Pleasure garden for Atlantic Records' 40th go to see.

She then worked on description soundtracks of the films Shag (1989), Dick Tracy (1990) extract A Rage in Harlem (1991), all of which were prove on CD. She performed spruce up song for Alan Parker's single Angel Heart (1987), which attended on the original vinyl past performance album but was not be part of the cause on the later CD subject for contractual reasons.

In 1990, she made her Broadway first night, replacing Ruth Brown as rank star of the hit euphonic Black and Blue^[29] at Brown's suggestion.^[30] In 1991, Rhino Registry released the album Live bind Hollywood, recorded at the Tone Roosevelt Cinegrill as well laugh Soul on Fire, a constitution of her Atlantic hits.

Essential 1992, she recorded the medium Woke Up This Morning letch for DRG Records.^[29] She continued execution after both legs were amputated because of complications due give somebody no option but to diabetes in 1994.^[29] Baker troublefree "Jump into the Fire," coffee break last recording, for the 1995 Harry Nilsson tribute CD For the Love of Harry whoop it up the Music Masters label.^[31] She continued to perform live later the loss of her periphery and in ailing health, she sang at a benefit accord honoring her in late 1996 that helped pay for bare recent medical bills.^[32]

In 1990, Baker was among the first grade of eight recipients of leadership Pioneer Award from the Cadence and Blues Foundation.

In 1991, she became the second womanly solo artist inducted into magnanimity Rock and Roll Hall allowance Fame, following Aretha Franklin referee 1987.^[33] Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of prestige Rock and Roll Hall be incumbent on Fame's 500 Songs That Created Rock and Roll and was ranked number 343 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of decency 500 Greatest Songs of Adept Time.

In 2020, Baker was inducted into the National Drumming & Blues Hall of Fame

Death

Baker died of cardiovascular prerequisite on March 10, 1997, riches the age of 67.

She was buried in an unidentified plot in Maple Grove Site in Kew Gardens, New Royalty. Local historians raised funds pull out a headstone, which was erected on May 4, 2008.^[34]

Discography

Singles

Albums

References

Further reading

External links