Cleo Laine, who passed away at 97, rejected the label of jazz singer, stating she considered herself a singer of songs. Despite her protests, she made history as the first British artist to win a Grammy in Best Jazz Vocal Performance, receiving accolades from legends like Ella Fitzgerald. Born on October 28, 1927, as Clementina Dinah Campbell to a Jamaican father and an English mother, she pursued piano, dance, and vocal training. Early influences included American film musicals, inspiring her lifelong ambition to perform professionally.
Cleo Laine, who began performing jazz in 1952, took great exception to being labeled a jazz singer, asserting, "I'm a singer of songs."
Cleo Laine became the first British artist to win a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, prompting admiration from Ella Fitzgerald, who sent her roses.
Laine was born Clementina Dinah Campbell on October 28, 1927, to a Jamaican father and an English mother, receiving piano, dance, and vocal lessons as a child.
Laine cited American film musicals as a significant influence in her life, expressing a longing for the chance to perform like the stars she admired.
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