Celebrating Women in Music: Sarah Vaughan

March is National Women’s History Month, followed in April by Jazz Appreciation Month. We’d thought we’d celebrate by sharing daily stories about some of the most accomplished women in jazz, both nationally and locally. We hope you enjoy this tribute to the women of jazz.

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Sarah Lois Vaughan was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1924 and nothing about her arrival indicated that her name would one day be celebrated around the world. Times were tough for the Vaughan family; dad was a carpenter and mom was a laundress, both working hard to make ends meet. But they were music lovers and they made sure their daughter got piano lessons and sang in the church choir. Music provided a vibrant thread that ran throughout the Vaughan household.

On a dare, 18-year-old Sarah entered a talent competition at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem – and won. Her prize? $10 and a week’s gig at the theatre. The Apollo launched the careers of many young African American performers in the early 20^th century and Sarah took full advantage of the opportunity. She quickly earned the nick name “Sassy” for her energetic performance style on stage.

After performing and touring with the big bands of that era, Sarah launched a successful solo career that eventually took her to the White House, Carnegie Hall and the Jazz Hall of Fame, and also earned her a Grammy. “Broken Hearted Melody” sold more than 1 million records and other famous hits included “Whatever Lola Wants,” “Misty,” and ”Send in the Clowns.” What made Sarah so unique was her three-octave range and her ability to tackle all kinds of music, from horn tootin’ and bebop to Brazilian and the Beatles.  Though life was not always kind to Sarah, she once said, “When I sing, trouble can sit right on my shoulder and I don’t even notice.”

Also known as “The Velvet Voice,” Sarah shattered stereotypes and bias throughout her career. It wasn’t that she set out to do so; it was her passion for music that fueled her. Along the way, she ignited this same passion in millions of American music lovers who came to embrace the sweet sounds of Sarah Vaughan.