LAVERN BAKER
Name: LaVern Baker
Born: 11 November 1929
Died: 10 March 1997
LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 - March 10, 1997) was an American Rhythm & Blues
singer.
She was born Delores Baker in Chicago, Illinois. She is occasionally referred to
as Delores Williams because of an early marriage to Eugene Williams. She was the
niece of blues singer Merline Johnson and was also related to Memphis Minnie.
She began singing in Chicago clubs around 1946, often billed as "Little Miss
Sharecropper", and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name
briefly to "Bea Baker" when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, and then became
LaVern Baker when singing with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.
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 #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. Georgia
Gibbs scored the bigger hit with her version of "Tweedle Dee", for which Baker
unsuccessfully attempted to sue her. LaVern did manage to get in a jab, however.
When LaVern was flying to Australia, she took out flight insurance at the
airport and sent it to Gibbs with a note: "You need this more than I do because
if anything happens to me, you're out of business."
Baker had a succession of hits on the R&B charts over the next couple of years
with her backing group The Gliders, including "Bop-Ting-A-Ling" (#3 R&B), "Play
It Fair" (#2 R&B), and "Still" (#4 R&B). At the end of 1956 she had another
smash hit with "Jim Dandy" (#1 R&B, #17 pop). Further hits followed for Atlantic,
including the follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married" (#7 R&B), "I Cried A Tear" (#2 R&B,
#6 pop in 1959), "I Waited Too Long" (#5 R&B, #3 pop, written by Neil Sedaka), "Saved"
(#17 R&B, written by Leiber and Stoller), and "See See Rider" (#9 R&B in 1963).
In addition to singing, Baker also did some work with Ed Sullivan and Alan Freed
on TV and in films, including Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. In 1964, she
recorded a Bessie Smith tribute album, before leaving Atlantic and joining
Brunswick Records, where she recorded as a duo with Jackie Wilson.
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.
In 1988 she returned to perform at Madison Square Garden for Atlantic Records'
40th anniversary. She then worked on the soundtrack to Dick Tracy and appeared
in Black & Blue, a Broadway musical, and released a comeback disc that sold
moderately well.
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 Rock Songs
of All Time.
LaVern Baker died from coronary complications in 1997, and was interred in the
Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens, New York.
Name: LaVern Baker
Born: 11 November 1929
Died: 10 March 1997
LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 - March 10, 1997) was an American Rhythm & Blues
singer.
She was born Delores Baker in Chicago, Illinois. She is occasionally referred to
as Delores Williams because of an early marriage to Eugene Williams. She was the
niece of blues singer Merline Johnson and was also related to Memphis Minnie.
She began singing in Chicago clubs around 1946, often billed as "Little Miss
Sharecropper", and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name
briefly to "Bea Baker" when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, and then became
LaVern Baker when singing with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.
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 #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. Georgia
Gibbs scored the bigger hit with her version of "Tweedle Dee", for which Baker
unsuccessfully attempted to sue her. LaVern did manage to get in a jab, however.
When LaVern was flying to Australia, she took out flight insurance at the
airport and sent it to Gibbs with a note: "You need this more than I do because
if anything happens to me, you're out of business."
Baker had a succession of hits on the R&B charts over the next couple of years
with her backing group The Gliders, including "Bop-Ting-A-Ling" (#3 R&B), "Play
It Fair" (#2 R&B), and "Still" (#4 R&B). At the end of 1956 she had another
smash hit with "Jim Dandy" (#1 R&B, #17 pop). Further hits followed for Atlantic,
including the follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married" (#7 R&B), "I Cried A Tear" (#2 R&B,
#6 pop in 1959), "I Waited Too Long" (#5 R&B, #3 pop, written by Neil Sedaka), "Saved"
(#17 R&B, written by Leiber and Stoller), and "See See Rider" (#9 R&B in 1963).
In addition to singing, Baker also did some work with Ed Sullivan and Alan Freed
on TV and in films, including Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. In 1964, she
recorded a Bessie Smith tribute album, before leaving Atlantic and joining
Brunswick Records, where she recorded as a duo with Jackie Wilson.
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.
In 1988 she returned to perform at Madison Square Garden for Atlantic Records'
40th anniversary. She then worked on the soundtrack to Dick Tracy and appeared
in Black & Blue, a Broadway musical, and released a comeback disc that sold
moderately well.
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 Rock Songs
of All Time.
LaVern Baker died from coronary complications in 1997, and was interred in the
Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens, New York.