This photo of Nat “King” Cole, Sarah Vaughan and Thelma Carpenter Georgia Carr comes to VBG courtesy of the lovely blonde woman in the picture, Monica Lewis, who had a remarkable decades long career as a jazz singer. Ms. Lewis is 90 years old today and just as stunning! She is joined by Sarah Vaughan and Nat King Cole of course, along with Stan Kenton, a progressive jazz bandleader that she was dating at the time. The occasion was a gathering of top musicians in Chicago sponsored by BILLBOARD magazine. I wish I knew the name of the beautiful lady standing in between Ms. Vaughan and Mr. Kenton (she is not Mr. Cole’s wife, Maria Cole) so if you do know, tell me her name in the comment section!***
*** Thanks to Derrick Lucas for contacting Mr. Cole’s former manager, Dick LaPalm, but clearly Mr. LaPalm was mistaken. And thank you Toni Callender for your comment and giving me the opportunity to correct the original post - and the excuse to share the lovely Georgia Carr with VBG fans.
Sarah Vaughan, born on this day in 1924 in Newark, NJ, in her dressing room in Chicago, 1948. I wonder which fragrance she was using? Photo: Ted Williams.
Sarah Vaughan in New York City, 1948. Photo: Herman Leonard via the Morrison Hotel Gallery.
Sarah Vaughan plays the piano as Duke Ellington and Billy Eckstine look on, circa 1950. The Newark, NJ-born Ms. Vaughan studied piano as a child and went on to win first prize at the Apollo Theater’s famous Amateur Night competition. Billy Eckstine was in the audience that night and before long, Ms. Vaughan would sing with Mr. Eckstine in his band. Her recording of “The Duke Ellington Songbook, Vol. 1 and 2,” is still unmatched for its beauty and brilliance. Photo by Gilles Petard/Redferns.
Marvelous Sarah Vaughan, pictured here in 1958, was born on this day in 1924 in Newark, New Jersey.
Sarah Vaughan shot by Charles “Teenie” Harris with legendary Pittsburgh Courier reporter Frank Bolden (far left) and friends in an undated photo. I’m guessing late 1940s.
Sarah Vaughan sings “Perdido.”
Dorothy Dandridge and Sarah Vaughan Jet, April 16, 1953.
At Sarah Vaughan Opening: Glamorous singer Dorothy Dandridge was among the scores of well-wishers who welcomed home star songstress Sarah Vaughan, just back from Paris, in her opening at New York’s Birdland Cafe.
Sarah Vaughan in a 1959 Rheingold beer ad.
Sarah Vaughan rehearsing in 1950.
Sarah Vaughan and Dorothy Dandridge in Jet, April 16, 1953.
At Sarah Vaughan Opening: Glamorous singer Dorothy Dandridge was among the scores of well-wishers who welcomed home star songstress Sarah Vaughan, just back from Paris, in her opening at New York’s Birdland Cafe.
