women-in-music:LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997).American rhythm and blues singer; o
women-in-music:LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997).American rhythm and blues singer; one of the sexiest divas gracing the mid-’50s rock & roll circuit. In 1953 she signed for Atlantic Records as a solo artist, her first release being “Soul on Fire”. Her first hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo “Tweedlee Dee” reaching No.4 on the R&B chart and No.14 on the national US pop charts. This was followed by a string of hits on the R&B charts over the next couple of years with her backing group The Gliders, including “Bop-Ting-A-Ling”, “Play It Fair”, and “Still. At the end of 1956 she had another smash hit with “Jim Dandy” No.1 R&B and No.17 pop, it sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Further hits followed for Atlantic, including the follow-up “Jim Dandy Got Married”, “I Cried a Tear”, “I Waited Too Long” written by Neil Sedaka, “Saved” and “See See Rider”. In the late 1960s, she became seriously ill after a trip to Vietnam to entertain American soldiers. About that same time, a friend recommended that she stay on as the entertainment director at a Marine Corps night club at the Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines, and she remained there for 22 years. Lavern received the 1990 Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and in 1991, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her song “Jim Dandy” was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and was ranked #343 on the Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.LaVern Baker died from cardiovascular disease on March 10, 1997, at the age of 67. -- source link