 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Irene Reid" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(December 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Irene Reid (September 23, 1930 – January 5, 2008)[1] was an Americanjazz singer.
Reid was born and raised inSavannah, Georgia. She sang in church and inhigh school in Georgia, and moved toNew York City in 1947 after her mother died.
Toward the end of 1947, she tried out for an amateur contest at theApollo Theater inHarlem, and won the competition for five straight weeks. Soon after she was offered a slot as the featured vocalist withDick Vance at theSavoy Ballroom, which she held from 1948 to 1950.
In 1961–62, Reid sang withCount Basie's orchestra, and recorded forVerve Records. She later performed in aBroadway production of themusicalThe Wiz. Additionally, she sang withCarmen McRae,Sarah Vaughan,Aretha Franklin, andB.B. King. Reid receded from fame in the 1970s and 1980s, but launched a comeback near the end of that decade. She appeared at theSavannah Jazz Festival in 1991, 1994, and 1996, and continued releasing albums onSavant Records in the 1990s and 2000s.
WithCount Basie
She died on January 5, 2008, from a cardiac arrest, aged 77.[2]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
