Sarah Vaughan Popular Books
Sarah Vaughan Biography & Facts
Sarah Lois Vaughan (, pronunciation respelling VAWN; March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine Grammy Awards. She was given an NEA Jazz Masters Award in 1989. Critic Scott Yanow wrote that she had "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century". Early life Vaughan was born in Newark, New Jersey, to Asbury "Jake" Vaughan, a carpenter by trade who played guitar and piano, and Ada Vaughan, a laundress who sang in the church choir, migrants from Virginia. The Vaughans lived in a house on Brunswick Street in Newark for Vaughan's entire childhood. Jake was deeply religious. The family was active in New Mount Zion Baptist Church at 186 Thomas Street. Vaughan began piano lessons at the age of seven, sang in the church choir, and played piano for rehearsals and services. Sarah and her family were all registered Democrats. She developed an early love for popular music. In the 1930s, she frequently saw local and touring bands at the Montgomery Street Skating Rink. By her mid-teens, she ventured illegally into Newark's night clubs and performed as a pianist and singer at the Piccadilly Club and at Newark Airport. Vaughan attended East Side High School, then transferred to Newark Arts High School, which opened in 1931. As her nocturnal adventures as a performer overtook her academic pursuits, she dropped out of high school during her junior year to concentrate more fully on her music. Career 1942–1943: Early career Vaughan was frequently accompanied by a friend, Doris Robinson, on her trips into New York City. In the fall of 1942, by which time she was 18 years old, Vaughan suggested that Robinson enter the Apollo Theater Amateur Night contest. Vaughan played piano accompaniment for Robinson, who won second prize. Vaughan later decided to go back and compete as a singer herself. She sang "Body and Soul" and won—although the date of this victorious performance is uncertain. The prize, as Vaughan recalled to Marian McPartland, was $10 and the promise of a week's engagement at the Apollo. On November 20, 1942, she returned to the Apollo to open for Ella Fitzgerald. During her week of performances at the Apollo, Vaughan was introduced to bandleader and pianist Earl Hines, although the details of that introduction are disputed. Billy Eckstine, Hines' singer at the time, has been credited by Vaughan and others with hearing her at the Apollo and recommending her to Hines. Hines claimed later to have discovered her himself and offered her a job on the spot. After a brief tryout at the Apollo, Hines replaced his female singer with Vaughan on April 4, 1943. 1943–1944: Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine Vaughan spent the remainder of 1943 and part of 1944 touring the country with the Earl Hines big band, which featured Billy Eckstine. She was hired as a pianist so Hines could hire her under the jurisdiction of the musicians' union (American Federation of Musicians) rather than the singers union (American Guild of Variety Artists). But after Cliff Smalls joined the band as a trombonist and pianist, her duties were limited to singing. The Earl Hines band in this period is remembered as an incubator of bebop, as it included trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, saxophonist Charlie Parker (playing tenor saxophone rather than alto), and trombonist Bennie Green. Gillespie arranged for the band, although the contemporary recording ban by the musicians' union meant that no commercial recordings exist. Eckstine quit the Hines band in late 1943 and formed a big band with Gillespie, leaving Hines to become the band's musical director. Parker joined Eckstine, and over the next few years the band included Gene Ammons, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Dexter Gordon, and Lucky Thompson. Vaughan accepted Eckstine's invitation to join his band in 1944, giving her the opportunity to record for the first time on December 5, 1944, on the song "I'll Wait and Pray" for De Luxe. Critic and producer Leonard Feather asked her to record later that month for Continental with a septet that included Dizzy Gillespie and Georgie Auld. She left the Eckstine band in late 1944 to pursue a solo career, although she remained close to Eckstine and recorded with him frequently. Pianist John Malachi is credited with giving Vaughan the moniker "Sassy", a nickname that matched her personality. She liked it, and the name and its shortened variant "Sass" stuck with colleagues and the press. In written communications, Vaughan often spelled it "Sassie". 1945–1948: Early solo career Vaughan began her solo career in 1945 by freelancing on 52nd Street in New York City at the Three Deuces, the Famous Door, the Downbeat, and the Onyx Club. She spent time at Braddock Grill next to the Apollo Theater in Harlem. On May 11, 1945, she recorded "Lover Man" for Guild with a quintet featuring Gillespie and Parker with Al Haig on piano, Curly Russell on double bass, and Sid Catlett on drums. Later that month, she went into the studio with a slightly different and larger Gillespie/Parker aggregation and recorded three more sides. After being invited by violinist Stuff Smith to record the song "Time and Again" in October 1945, Vaughan was offered a contract to record for Musicraft by owner Albert Marx, although she would not begin recording as a leader for Musicraft until May 7, 1946. In the intervening time, she recorded for Crown and Gotham and began performing regularly at Café Society Downtown, an integrated club in New York's Sheridan Square. While at Café Society, Vaughan became friends with trumpeter George Treadwell, who became her manager. She delegated to him most of the musical director responsibilities for her recording sessions, allowing her to concentrate on singing. Over the next few years, Treadwell made changes in Vaughan's stage appearance. Aside from a new wardrobe and hair style, she had her teeth capped, eliminating a gap between her two front teeth. Her recordings for Musicraft included "If You Could See Me Now" (written and arranged by Tadd Dameron), "Don't Blame Me", "I've Got a Crush on You", "Everything I Have Is Yours" and "Body and Soul". With Vaughan and Treadwell's professional relationship on solid footing, the couple married on September 16, 1946. In 1947, Vaughan performed at the third Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr. on September 7, 1947. The Valdez Orchestra, The Blenders, T-Bone Walker, Slim Gaillard, The Honeydrippers, Johnny Otis and his Orchestra, Woody Herman, and the Three Blazers also performed that same day. Vaughan's recording success for Musicraft continued through 1947 and 1948. Her recording of "Tenderly"—she was proud to be the first to have recorded that jazz standard—became an unexpected pop hit in late 1947. Her December 27, 1947, recording of "It's Ma.... Discover the Sarah Vaughan popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Sarah Vaughan books.
Best Seller Sarah Vaughan Books of 2024
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Because She Looked Away
Alison BruceAfter the sudden death of her sister, devastated detective DS Ronnie Blake relocates to Cambridge to help her brother Alex raise their sister's young son, Noah. She reports for her...
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Queen of Bebop
Elaine M. HayesPublishers Weekly Best Book of 2017Washington Post Best Book of 2017Amazon Editors' Top 100 Pick of the YearAmazon Best Humor and Entertainment Pick of the YearBooklist Top Ten Art...
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I Did It for Us
Alison Bruce'Unpredictable, challenging and compelling' Sophie HannahFrom the first time I saw them together I knew it felt wrong. I didn't like the way he touched her or the selfconscious way...
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The Things We Never Said
Susan Elliot WrightFrom the acclaimed author of The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood Everyone can change their life. But what happens when it hides a secret that changes everything? In 1964, Maggie wak...
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The Heights
Louise Candlish“Impossible to resist, impossible to predict, impossible to put down…this is an author at the top of her game.” Erin Kelly, author of Watch Her FallThe author of the “masterfully p...
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Trespass
Clare ClarkWhen your past is a lie, who are you?'Provocative, moving and timely' Mail on Sunday'Angry and engaged' Sunday Times'So perceptive and clever... I read Trespass in one go' Cathy Re...
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Cubano Be, Cubano Bop
Leonardo Acosta & Daniel WhitesellBased on unprecedented research in Cuba, the direct testimony of scores of Cuban musicians, and the author's unique experience as a prominent jazz musician, Cubano Be, Cubano Bop...
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Never Seen Again
Paul Finch'Finch is a born storyteller' PETER JAMES'Guaranteed to elevate your heart rate' DAVID JACKSONA GRIPPING AND EXPLOSIVE NEW THRILLER FROM THE MILLION COPY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA m...
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Obsessed
Liza NorthLaura has a husband, children, a home in a city she loves. She thinks she can be happy, despite her past.If they only knew my secret.Until someone walks back into her life who she ...
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Denial
Beverley McLachlinCityLine Book Club Pick for SeptemberFrom the former Chief Justice of Canada and #1 bestselling author of Full Disclosure comes a taut new thriller starring toughasnails defense at...
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Little Disasters
Sarah VaughanThis “thrilling and emotional depiction of family drama, friendship, and trust will have you on the edge of your seat” (CNN) as it explores the complexity of motherhood from the be...
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The Witness
Alexandra WilsonThe remarkable debut novel by prominent young mixedrace barrister Alexandra Wilson is a moving, twisty legal thriller for the 21st century.SHE SAW IT ALLBUT SHE CAN NEVER TELLA you...
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Last One Alive
Amber CowieA team of researchers exploring the myth of a witch find their numbers mysteriously dwindling in this irresistible psychological thriller for fans of Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena, and L...
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Separate Lives
Kathryn FlettYour partner of ten years, and the father of your children, receives a text. You happen to see it. 'Start living a different kind of life ... P :) xxx'. You don't know anyone with ...
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The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood
Susan Elliot Wright‘Dark and compelling, a slowmotion collapse; I read it in 24 hours with my heart in my mouth. So good!’ Julie Cohen, author of TogetherEveryone knows what Cornelia did a...
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Proof
Beverley McLachlinFrom the former Chief Justice of Canada and #1 bestselling author of Full Disclosure comes a razorsharp thriller featuring defense attorney Jilly Truitt as she defends a highprofil...
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The Way From Here
Jane Turner'Warm, wonderful and very wet at times! I LOVED it!' FAITH HOGAN, author of The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club The start of something new...When Kate is faced with an 'empty nest' ...
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Eine Liebe auf Guernsey
Pippa Watson, Mirjam Müntefering & Markus WeberEin Roman über Freundschaft, die Kunst loszulassen und die Liebe. Kate ist Touristenführerin auf der Kanalinsel Guernsey und mit ihrem beschaulichen Leben eigentlich recht zufriede...
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What She Lost
Susan Elliot WrightFrom the acclaimed author of The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood All families have their secrets. But the truth will out . . . Eleanor and her mother Marjorie have always had a diffi...
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The Moment Before Impact
Alison Bruce'Unpredictable, challenging and compelling' Sophie HannahA terrible car accident or calculated murder?An evening out for five students ends in tragedy, with two dead and one criti...
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Gull Island
Anna PorterA haunting psychological suspense novel about a young woman who visits her remote family cottage seeking answers to a murky pastfor fans of Catherine McKenzie and Amber Cowie.When ...
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Payday
Celia WaldenTHE RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK FOR AUTUMN 2022 Can YOU guess who killed Jamie Lawrence? Don't miss the new spectacularly entertaining thriller from Celia Walden THE SQUARE i...
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Reputation
Sarah Vaughan“Astonishingly timely and clever, utterly gripping.” Lucy Foley, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Sarah Vaughan has done it again. Superb.” Shari Lapena, New York Times bestse...
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A Bird in Winter
Louise DoughtyOVER HALF A MILLION COPIES OF APPLE TREE YARD SOLD'Psychologically acute. Terrific.' Daily Mail'A pageturning read. Kept me reading well past bedtime!' VAL McDERMID 'Pacey and prop...
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The Doll House
Phoebe MorganYou never know who’s watching…‘Spinechilling … makes you realise how little you ever know anyone!’ The Sun‘A brilliantly creepy and insightfully written debut. I tore through it’ G...
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The Other Passenger
Louise CandlishOne of CrimeReads’s Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2021 Longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier 2021 Crime Novel of the Year The “queen of the suckerpunch twist” (Ruth Ware, #1 ...