Betty Carter

Betty Carter
Carter performing at Pori Jazz in 1978
Background information
Birth nameLillie Mae Jones
Also known asLorene Carter; Lorraine Carter[1]
Born(1929-05-16)May 16, 1929
Flint, Michigan, U.S.
DiedSeptember 26, 1998(1998-09-26) (aged 69)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz, post-bop
OccupationSinger-songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active1948–1998
LabelsColumbia, Peacock, ABC, Atco, United Artists, Roulette, Bet-Car, Verve

Betty Carter (born Lillie Mae Jones; May 16, 1929 – September 26, 1998) was an American jazz singer known for her improvisational technique, scatting and other complex musical abilities that demonstrated her vocal talent and imaginative interpretation of lyrics and melodies.[1] Vocalist Carmen McRae once remarked: "There's really only one jazz singer—only one: Betty Carter."[2]: xiv [3]

  1. ^ a b "Betty Carter". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2012.
  2. ^ Bauer, William R. (2002). Open the Door: The Life and Music of Betty Carter. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0472067916.
  3. ^ "Today in Jazz History". National Museum of American History. March 27, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2019.