Born inYpsilanti,Michigan, on September 10, 1949,[1] and raised inRomulus, Michigan, Barbara Morrison recorded her first appearance for radio inDetroit at the age of 10. In 1973 when she was 23, she moved toLos Angeles[2] and sang withEddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's band. Between the mid-1970s and early 1990s, she recorded several albums withJohnny Otis.[1]
Blues for Ella: Live (with the Thilo Berg Big Band) (Mons, 1993 [1995])
I Know How to Do It (Blue Lady, 1996; Chartmaker, 1997)
I'm Gettin' 'Long All Right (Chartmaker, 1997)
Visit Me (Chartmaker, 1999)
Ooh-Shoobie-Doo! (withJohnny Otis & his band) (J & T, 2000)
Live Down Under (Blue Lady, 2000)
Thinking of You, Joe (Blue Lady, 2002) - note: this is Morrison's special tribute to the great jazz vocalist,Joe Williams.
Live at the 9:20 Special (with Danny Caron, Ruth Davies, Charles McNeal, John Haynes, Steve Campos, John R. Burr) (Springboard Productions, 2002)
Barbara Morrison (Arietta Discs, 2003)
Live at the Dakota (withJunior Mance, Earl May, Jackie Williams,Houston Person) (Dakota Live, 2005) - Note: includes Morrison's signature song, "They Call Me Sundown".
Double Standards (Blue Lady, 2006) - 2-CD set
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, The City by the Sea (CD single; two songs) (Garrison, 2008)
By Request: Volume One (Fertility, 2011)
By Request: Volume Two (Fertility, 2011)
A Sunday Kind of Love (featuring Houston Person) (Savant, 2013)
I Love You, Yes I Do (featuring Houston Person) (Savant, 2014)
Back To Jazz With Johnny Otis & His Orchestra And Introducing Barbara Morrison (Jazz World, 1977)
Johnny Otis! Johnny Otis! The 1984 Johnny Otis Show (Hawk Sound, 1984) – Morrison sings on "Stand By Me", "Do It Again, Baby" and "Soothe Me, Baby".
Otisology -Johnny Otis Show (Kent, 1986) – Morrison sings on 'Roll With Me Henry", "Let's Go, Johnny" and "I'm Scared Of You".
Prime Time -Jimmy Smith (Milestone, 1989) – Morrison is featured on "Farther On Up The Road".
Al Aarons And The L.A. Jazz Caravan - Al Aarons (Los Angeles Jazz Society/LAJS, 1995) – Morrison sings on "Back Door Blues" and "Make The Man Love Me".
The intersection of 43rd Street and Degnan Boulevard inLeimert Park, Los Angeles, was dedicated as Barbara Morrison Square on the anniversary of her birth, September 10. 2022.[4] She had opened the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center here as a launching pad for new artists.[3]