Content provided in partnership with
Obituary: Betty Carter
Independent, The (London), Sep 28, 1998 by Steve Voce
"Hamp made that nickname predominant because of my ability to scat," she said. "I no longer want to be identified with this. Ella's not called Ella `Bebop' Fitzgerald, is she?"
Carter left Hampton in 1951 and went to New York City to try to make her career as a solo singer. She worked on and off for the next two decades, appearing regularly at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and in other theatres, clubs and at festivals. Because of her individuality she did few recordings and over a ten-year period made only five albums under her own name.
- Most Popular Articles in News
- The Ten Best Laptop bags
- Tata plans cheapest-ever car for Indian market
- GLOBALIZATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF UNDERDEVELOPMENT OF THE THIRD WORLD
- Corn is good for you; Corn is not only a tasty treat, but also a cereal that ...
- THE 50 BEST STYLISH HANDBAGS TO CARRY
- More »
Her career was boosted when she joined Ray Charles's touring show from 1960 to 1963. "It was the high point of my life as a jazz performer, because I had the chance to work to masses of people, doing what I wanted to do." With Charles she recorded an album of duets in 1960 and "Baby, It's Cold Outside", taken from the album as a single, became a hit.
She began to tour abroad, visiting Japan with Sonny Rollins in 1963. She came to London in 1964 in a move typical of the Ronnie Scott Club's policy in giving support to worthy artists even if they were unknown over here. The stir she caused amongst Scott's audiences and good reports in the press led to her establishment with British audiences. For a brief period during the middle Sixties in New York she sang with musicians from all over the jazz spectrum, including John Lee Hooker and T-Bone Walker, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp and Sun Ra.
Carter began to tour with her own trio in 1969, a significant move, and two years later, distraught at the lack of recording opportunities, established her own label, Bet-Car Records. The albums she made for it were taken over and reissued by Verve when she signed a contract with the label in 1988. Her album of that year, Look What I've Got, won her a Grammy award as the vocalist of the year.
In 1975 she appeared in the New York musical Don't Call Me Man, and this resulted in another clutch of club engagements.
She founded "Jazz Ahead" in 1993. This is a music programme that brings about 20 young musicians to New York for study each spring. The visit is capped by a week-end of concerts given by the visitors. Last year President Clinton presented her with the National Medal Of Arts award.
Although she continued the surreal into her remarkable and unique way of dressing Betty Carter had no pretense to glamour and remained a specialised singer. Because of this she never earned the abundant money that more conventional artists did. It didn't bother her too much.
"I never wanted anything but to sing jazz."
Lillie Mae Jones (Betty Carter), jazz singer: born Flint, Michigan 16 May 1929; married 1960 James Redding (two sons); died New York 26 September 1998.
Copyright 1998 Newspaper Publishing PLC
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
Find Research Guides for:
Find Featured Titles for: Health
- AAACN Viewpoint
- ABNF Journal, The
- AIDS Treatment News
- AMAA Journal
- Aboriginal Nurse, The
- Adolescence
- Adolescent Psychiatry
- Advances in Skin & Wound Care
- Age and Ageing
- Alabama Nurse
- Alberta RN
- Alcohol Research & Health
- Alternative Medicine Review
- American Family Physician
- American Fitness
- Men's Fitness
- Psychology Today
- Shape