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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The Diva Series
Carmen McRae Lyrics
Ain't Misbehavin' No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…
All The Things You Are Time and again I've longed for adventure, Something to make …
Comes Love Once I lived the life of a millionaire Spending my money,…
Falling in Love With Love Falling in love with love Is falling for make believe Fallin…
How Little We Know How little we know! How much to discover What chemical…
I Only Have Eyes For You My love must be a kind of blind love I can't…
I'm Glad There Is You Said I many times Love is allusion A feeling result of confu…
I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket I'm putting all my eggs in one basket I'm betting…
Midnight Sun Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice, warmer…
My Man's Gone Now My man's gone now Ain't no use a listenin' For his tired…
Skylark Skylark Have you anything to say to me? Won't you tell me…
Speak Low Speak low when you speak, love, Our summer day withers away…
That Old Devil Moon I look at you and suddenly Something in your eyes I…