Jazz Singer Etta Jones Passes at 72

Recepient of Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Women in Jazz Foundation

NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2001 — Renowned jazz vocalist Etta Jones died at her home in New York October 16 of complications from a bout with cancer. She was 72.

Etta Jones was born in Aiken, South Carolina on November 25, 1928. She grew up in New York City and began her singing career as a teenager in Buddy Johnson's band.

Leonard Feather helped to arrange her first recording in 1944 with the with Barney Bigards Orchestra, for which he played piano. Ms. Jones then recorded with Pete Johnson in 1946 and joined J. C. Heard's band in 1948. From 1949 to 1952, she worked and recorded with Earl "Fatha" Hines, Kenny Burrell, Charles Brown, Milt Jackson, Cedar Walton and many others, both in performance and on records.

Her 1960 recording Don't Go With Strangers won a gold record and led her to making several albums for the Prestige label as a leader, from 1960-65, and with Gene Ammons in 1962.

She toured the far east with Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers, was featured in Carnegie Hall along with Illinois Jacquet, and performed at Town Hall in New York City with Dr. Billy Taylor.

Ms. Jones recorded for prolifically for RCA, Prestige, and Muse. Her latest recording contract was with HighNote Records where, sadly, her last recording, Etta Jones Sings Lady Day, received its official release on the day of her passing.

Many of her records for Muse and HighNote were made with her long-time collaborator and producer, tenor saxophonist Houston Person.

Etta Jones was the recipient of many awards, foremost among them: a gold record for her Prestige recording Don't Go To Strangers, a Grammy nomination for her HighNote recording My Buddy: The Songs of Buddy Johnson, and one for her Muse recording Save Your Love For Me.

She received the prestigious Eubie Blake Jazz Award and was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Women in Jazz Foundation.