Carmen Mercedes McRae (1920-1994) was a U.S. jazz singer, songwriter, and p… Read Full Bio ↴Carmen Mercedes McRae (1920-1994) was a U.S. jazz singer, songwriter, and pianist.
McRae was born in Harlem, New York, on the 8th April 1920, and studied piano as a child. As a teenager she came to the attention of Teddy Wilson and his wife, the composer Irene Kitchings Wilson. Through their influence, one of McRae’s early songs, "Dream of Life", was recorded by Wilson’s longtime collaborator Billie Holiday.
By the late 1940s she was well known among the modern jazz musicians who gathered at Minton's Playhouse, Harlem’s most famous jazz club, where she was the intermission pianist. But it was while working in Brooklyn that she came to the attention of Decca’s Milt Gabler. Her five year association with Decca yielded twelve LPs.
The musicians she sang with include Benny Carter, Mercer Ellington, Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jr, Dave Brubeck, and Louis Armstrong. She was married once (and briefly), to drummer Kenny Clarke.
McRae died on the 10th November 1994.
McRae was born in Harlem, New York, on the 8th April 1920, and studied piano as a child. As a teenager she came to the attention of Teddy Wilson and his wife, the composer Irene Kitchings Wilson. Through their influence, one of McRae’s early songs, "Dream of Life", was recorded by Wilson’s longtime collaborator Billie Holiday.
By the late 1940s she was well known among the modern jazz musicians who gathered at Minton's Playhouse, Harlem’s most famous jazz club, where she was the intermission pianist. But it was while working in Brooklyn that she came to the attention of Decca’s Milt Gabler. Her five year association with Decca yielded twelve LPs.
The musicians she sang with include Benny Carter, Mercer Ellington, Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jr, Dave Brubeck, and Louis Armstrong. She was married once (and briefly), to drummer Kenny Clarke.
McRae died on the 10th November 1994.
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Carmen McRae's Finest Hour
Carmen McRae Lyrics
Baltimore Oriole Baltimore Oriole Took one look at that mercury, forty below…
Dream of Life My life was empty when you went away Even the blue…
How Long Has This Been Going On 'Neath the stars, at bazaars Often I've had to caress men Do…
I Loves You Porgy I loves you, Porgy, Don't let him take me Don't let him…
I Was Doing All Right I was doing all right Nothing but rainbows in my sky I…
Invitation You and your smile Hold a strange invitation Somehow it seem…
Love Is Here to Stay It's very clear our love is here to stay Not for…
Mad About the Boy Mad about the boy I know it's stupid to be mad…
Midnight Sun Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice, warmer…
Namely You You deserve a boy who's willin', namely me. One who'd…
Perdido Perdido, I look for my heart It`s perdido I lost it way down…
Something To Live For I have almost ev'ry thing a human could desire, Cars and…
When Your Lover Has Gone From ages to ages the poets and sages, Of love glorious…