Buber], Vayishlah 19). Washington discovered that ever since proposing, her husband had been cheating on her with multiple women. Rather than disown her mother, Oberon passed her parent off as a servant. He has Irish and Mexican ancestry and speaks Spanish fluently. The rabbis also offer many different explanations for the rape of Dinah, trying to understand the troubling story. The girl was raking in about $150,000 a yeara huge amount for the 1950s. Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 - December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, one of the most popular black female recording artists of the 1950s. By 1947 she was the Queen of the Jukeboxes, with a number one hitI Want to Cryand a large enough following that she could make almost $15,000 a performance. When Dinah emerged from her tent to see the daughters of the land playing, he kidnapped her. Friends claimed they had never seen Washington as happy as she seemed to be since her marriage to Lane. I knew her in a different way., The play opens in 1959, when Dinahs already a star. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. Did Billy Graham speak to Marilyn Monroe about Jesus? While working with the Lionel Hampton Band, Washington met a drummer named George Jenkins. She traveled with the group to Atlanta and New Jersey for performancesbut even amid her busy schedule, young Dinah found time to make trouble. and answers that he had locked her in a chest, saying: So that Esau should not see her and take her from me. God told him: You withheld Dinah from your brother, and, due to her good attributes, she could have reformed him. Evidently, however, having her boyfriend around didnt suit Washington. it is said Simeon adopted Shaul as his son and married Dinah At the same time as her biggest popular success, she also recorded sessions with many leading jazz musicians, including Clifford Brown and Clark Terry on the album Dinah Jams (1954), and also recorded with Cannonball Adderley and Ben Webster. Most of the time in school I use a battery-operated wheelchair, she says. While performing at lounges, the singer would grab glasses from nearby tables and throw them at anyaudience members who dared to speak when she was performing. Evil Gal Blues was a prophetic song title for Dinah Washingtons breakthrough hit. Dinah Washington was born in August 1924 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It looked like he was turning over a new leaf, especially when Jenkins proposed to Dinah. The Episode of Dinah and Shechem Son of Hamor. 5 R&B). Dinah desired to be seen, and not just to see others. However, some of the facts are not factual. Little did she know, our girl was walking into an absolute gong show of a marriage. Jacob is also known as Israel, the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. God took the care to create woman from a rib, which is a concealed, modest place; notwithstanding this, women like to go out to public places (Gen. Rabbah 18:2). of Simeon is the son of Dinah. Its the smaller, more personal details that upset her sisters. The singer took huge amounts of diet pills and even used dangerous mercury injections, which she believed drew water from the body. While all these were prescription drugs at the time, looking back, we now know that they were anything but healthy. We want our readers to trust us. Always a party girl, Washingtons drinking slowly trespassed into dangerous territory. A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). The story of Dinah is one of the most difficult Biblical narratives, and the Rabbis offered different explanations for how Jacobs daughter became involved in this episode. Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performed and recorded in a wide variety of styles including blues, R&B, and traditional pop music, and gave herself the title of "Queen of the Blues". Neither Smith nor Dukes planned to see the Northlight production. What Diffrence A Day Makes won Dinah over to the white audience and helped her crossover from R&B listings to the pop charts. Unforgettable - Dinah Washington album - was created in 1991. [17] In 1962, Dinah hired a male backing trio called the Allegros, consisting of Jimmy Thomas on drums, Earl Edwards on sax, and Jimmy Sigler on organ. The resulting song became Washingtons first big hit, Evil Gal Blues. And soon, her behavior lived up to her dittys title. 78_baby-did-you-hear_dinah-washington-dinah-washington-nook-schreier-orchestra-gus-j_gbia0354764a Location USA Scanner Internet Archive Python library 2.1.0 Scanningcenter George Blood, L.P. 3, none of Washingtons marriages made it to the one year mark. She signed autographs. Later in her career, she worked as the host of "A Conversation with Dinah," which ran from 1989 to 1992. It is not known for sure. Some bibles state 66 people including Washington was well known for singing torch songs. Her first hit song was Evil Gal Blues, and it was followed by such others as Am I Asking Too Much and Baby Get Lost. She later crossed over to the popular (pop) music market, in which she had her greatest commercial success, notably with What a Diffrence a Day Makes. Washington continued performing at jazz festivals, however, and she retained many of her earlier fans because of her passionate supple style. Just listen to these two songs. Jacob brought a gold plate and wrote on it the name of the Holy One, blessed be He; according to another tradition, he recorded on it the episode with Shechem. Washington's achievements included appearances at the Newport Jazz Festival (19551959), the Randalls Island Jazz Festival in New York City (1959), and the International Jazz Festival in Washington, D.C. (1962), frequent gigs at Birdland (1958, 19611962), and performances in 1963 with Count Basie and Duke Ellington. She was great. Gen. 33:20 tells that he set up an altar there, and called it El, God of Israel. The A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules).midrash reads this as he called himself el [god]. Jacob said: You are God in the heavens, and I am God on earth; since he usurped authority for himself, he was punished by the rape of his daughter (Gen. Rabbah 79:8). In an attempt to resolve the discrepancy between the list of those who went down to Egypt with Jacob and the total number of seventy given in the Torah she-bi-khetav: Lit. Washington struggled with the working womans paradox: She worked hard to provide for her children, but because she was so busy working, she barely had any time to actually see them. I didnt always get along with my mother. Washington was married seven times to seven different men and had two kids . After Hubby No. Let us know. Eventually the dog will succeed in grabbing the meat from his hand. Grab a pair of shades as we explore the turbulent, explosive life of this mega-watt star. In the Biblical account, Reuben found mandrakes (an aphrodisiac) in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. [1][7] Both that record and its follow-up, "Salty Papa Blues", made the Billboard "Harlem Hit Parade" in 1944. You just dont get over losing a child. I knew her mothershe wasnt like that, says Eugene. Washington knew what she wanted, and it wasnt something she could learn in high school. Washingtons fortune finally turned when the controversial club owner, Joe Sherman gave her a chance to sing at his lounge. Edwards was replaced on sax by John Payne. She was also a bit of a cougar. The 12 sons of Jacob correspond to the 12 tribes of Israel. Aretha deeply resented the remarks and thought Dinah was acting like a diva, Ritz wrote. While touring England, specifically London, Washington created quite a commotion when she declared to the audience that theres one heaven, one earth, and one queenand your Elizabeth is an imposter. In another anecdote, Washington supposedly gave herself the nickname The Queen of the Blues. Gotta love the lady for her attitude! All Rights Reserved. follows: A List of Groundbreaking Interracial Romance Films, Oscar Winning Hispanic Actors - From Jose Ferrer to Benicio Del Toro, The Life of Sandra Dee, Actress and Teen Icon, Biography of Cesar Romero, Batman's Original Joker, Katharine Hepburn Biography: Classic Hollywood's Independent Star, Biography of Clara Bow: Hollywood's Original "It Girl", Biography of Audrey Hepburn, Exquisite and Elegant Actress, M.A. [1] Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performed and recorded in a wide variety of styles including blues, R&B, and traditional pop music,[1] and gave herself the title of "Queen of the Blues". I think Aretha sang Precious Lord (Take My Hand). A few days later we went up to Ruths house for Christmas. 37; Midrash Statements that are not Scripturally dependent and that pertain to ethics, traditions and actions of the Rabbis; the non-legal (non-halakhic) material of the Talmud.Aggadah [ed. Her principal sin, apparently, was to cultivate a distinctive vocal style that was at home in all kinds of music, be it R&B, blues, jazz, middle of the road pop and she probably would have made a fine gospel or country singer had she the time. Unfortunately, that didnt change with her fourth, fifth, and her sixth trips down the aisle either. Brook Benton, over his 40-year-long career, wrote, co-wrote, and recorded over 100 singles, many of them hits we still frequently hear today. Another tradition has Jacob punished for what he said to Laban when they divided the flock between themselves (Gen. 30:33): In the future when you go over my wages, let my honesty toward you testify for me. He boasted that his honesty would later come to light, which was not at all certain. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Dinah was the only daughter of Jacob and Leah, and the Rabbis present her as possessing many positive qualities, as was fitting for the daughter of the progenitors of the Israelite nation. The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Rebellious Facts About Drew Barrymore, Hollywood's Comeback Kid, Startling Facts About Jackie Coogan, The Tragic Child Superstar, Tragic Facts About Jackson C. Frank, The Forgotten Music Legend, Fearless Facts About Dave Chappelle, The Say Anything Comedian. She sang gospel music in church and played piano, directing her church choir in her teens and was a member of the Sallie Martin Gospel Singers. Fredi Washington (1903-1994) Bettmann/Getty Images. ", When she arrived in Hollywood, film execs reportedly urged her to lighten her skin and hair. In 1981, however, Gavins heritage resulted in President Ronald Reagan, a former actor, appointing him the U.S. Wells when I was born, says Dukes, referring to the CHA complex. I collected all of her music. Dukes preferred younger singers. What are the qualities of an accurate map? Perhaps the difference here was that he was as big a star as she was, just in a different field. But soon, these night-time concerts wouldnt be enough to satisfy Washingtons need for fame. in English, Comparative Literature, and American Studies, Occidental College. Her fourth husband, Eddie Chamblee, was her bassist. [15], One source states that Washington "produced 45 R&B-charted hits between 1948 and 1961, including 16 Top 15 placements between 1948 and 1950".[16]. This made me feel like there was something wrong with being from Bolivia, stated Welch in her 2010 memoir "Beyond the Cleavage. However, it is possible Dinah did have a child, but it is not mentioned as the child was born though shame. Shed never really decided to give up her singing career when she married Jenkins, but after leaving him, Washington knew that she had to return to the stage. wife is italicized, not in original text. is no evidence for this though. Just three months after getting hitched, Young left to join the army and the young couples divorce came through soon after. The father of her third husband. Usually Ruth came to my mothers house for Christmas, but that year it was going to be different. [21], "The Queen of the Blues" redirects here. Until then I had not experienced any death in my family. Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Dan Machnik. Other theories say she married The prophet Job . Welp, that didnt happen. They didnt want to gothey were too sad, says Eugene. [12], In 1959, she had her first top ten pop hit, with a version of "What a Diff'rence a Day Made",[13] which made Number 4 on the US pop chart. Leah therefore prayed to God on behalf of her sister, entreating Him: Turn what is in my womb into a female, and do not prevent my sister from bearing a son. God accepted her prayer and the fetus in her womb was transformed into a girl. Shaul may be Dinah and Shechem's son. You know you run through men when gossip magazines cant even keep track of them. What was his sin? She would simply leave performances if she saw a young man who caught her eye. But during his 40-year marriage to Martha, the Revolutionary War hero and first president presided over a . She had a beautiful voiceshe sang gospel in the church choirowned a music store that sold religious material, and was adamant about us getting an education. She always bought us presents. A poplar theory is Shaul the "son" At first, her man John Young promised to help Washington find work and pursue her dreams. She became deeply involved in gospel music and played piano for the choir in St. Luke's Baptist Church while still in elementary school. She used to just come in with two suitcases in Vegas without being booked. -Gad But a few of both Dinah's and Brook's their most successful singles came about from their tumultuous working relationship. She was named after our grandfather Rufus., In 1928 the family moved to Chicago. George Washington, the "Father of the Nation," had no biological children of his own. Born in . She was playing at the Three Deuces, a jazz club, when a friend took her to hear Billie Holiday at the Garrick Stage Bar. Since Leah had rendered judgment [danah din] on herself, the newborn was named Dinah (BT Berakhot 60a; Tanhuma [ed. I know there are things in the play that must be difficult for the family, but I hope they can enjoy the production., They did. Unfortunately, it wasnt just sleeping issues that Washington battled. They explain the rape as punishment for Jacob, punishment for Leah, or a result of Shechems evil, or they place the fault with Dinah herself. She had two sons, Robert Grayson and George Kenneth Jenkins. She also sang in the local churchs gospel choir, which gained her a tidy fan base. I mean, this is Dinahs hometown. What are the duties of a sanitary prefect in a school? So when a dressmaker gently suggested that the singer get the next size upwell, that didnt go over well. Washington sang the blues and of course, belted out her favorite songs by her idol, Billie Holiday. C.L. With Horrible Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies? As a child, Ruth Jones moved with her family to Chicago. Is Brooke shields related to willow shields? [10][11] Washington returned to perform at the twelfth Cavalcade of Jazz also at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles on September 2, 1956. She used to tell us, Either go to school or go to work. Ready to earn, she kicked her singing career into the next level. In the 1950s and early 1960s before her death, Washington occasionally performed on the Las Vegas Strip. ' So Clarissa and Eugene Smith, Dukes, and Washingtons surviving son, Robert Grayson, rode in a limousine to the theater. They liked most of what they saw, though they didnt approve of the way their mother was portrayed. It therefore was said of her: This girl is with justice [din] and judgment (Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer [ed. According to one tradition, he was punished for what he had said upon building the altar in Shalem upon his return from Paddan-aram. Other Washington, D.C.'s Dinah: Queen in Peril As a performer, Dinah Washington fought her weight, seven spouses, and even the admiration of her audience. . Dinah was married seven times. These different midrashic accounts of Dinahs marriage teach that Dinah overcame the episode of her rape by Shechem, rehabilitated herself and was married. In an attempt to come to terms with the rape of Dinah, the Rabbis suggest that this was a punishment for her father. My father came here looking for work, and he found a job at a factory on 76th Street, says Dukes. She Had Humble Beginnings. Instead of sounding at all sad, she laughed and told the paper about her new boyfriend. Gone was the gospel choirgirl. Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, Sultry Facts About Billie Holiday, Jazz Musics Tragic Star, I Couldnt Believe My Eyes: Utterly Insane Real-Life Discoveries, These People Shared The Worst Moments Of Their LivesAnd Theyre Utterly Brutal. He took her and lay with her and degraded her." (Genesis 32: 1-3) The story about Dinah catches us unprepared. This time in Washingtons career definitely wasnt easy, but it still managed to be better than her marriage which, shocker, was notgoing well. Shaul may be Dinah and -Joseph Dinah being the "Canaanite woman." Dinah was allegedly so livid that she actually took out a revolver and used it to threaten the shopgirl. Born Jo Raquel Tejada to a Bolivian father and an Anglo mother, Welch grew up in a house where her Latin ancestry was ignored. How old was Dinah Washington when died? Have an update or correction? The play opens in 1959, when Dinah's already a star. When a magazine called her plump, she nearly lost her mind. Over time, Washington became so dependent on alcohol that she would drink champagne during her recording sessions. The pair quickly wed, only to divorce even faster. Though her father had a steady job that paid the bills, the family faced hard times. After I was born my parents got divorced, and we lived with my mother, though we saw our father all the time.. My mom never told me how her best friend died. As Punishment for Leah. Higger], chap. Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, Prince of the Land, saw her. According to some of these traditions, either she herself or her daughter married some family member from Jacobs clan. She sang in and played the piano for her church choir and in 1939 began to sing and play piano in various Chicago nightclubs, in addition to touring with Sallie Martins gospel group. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. But, the story of Jacob's daughter, Dinah, is more in line with a made-for-tv movie than an entertaining musical. They had a real home. Her first record for Mercury, a version of Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'", was another hit, starting a long string of success. It soured less than a month after Washington and Jenkins said their vows. Potiphars wife was barren, and she raised Asenath as her own daughter. But for her sisters the story begins in Alabama, where their parents, Alice and Ollie Jones, were raised. At the time of their arrest, it was five in the morning. [9], She stayed with Hampton's band until 1946, after the Keynote label folded, and signed for Mercury Records as a solo singer. 31 December 1999. She drew a crowd. [6] Hampton's visit brought an offer, and Washington worked as his female band vocalist after she had sung with the band for its opening at the Chicago Regal Theatre. I did a hefty amount of research into Dinah Washington, because I wanted to represent her right, says E. Faye Butler, who plays Washington. She was an inspiration for singers like Ray Charles, Little Esther Phillips, and most famously, for Aretha Franklin. She became fond of a lavish lifestyle and wouldnt think twice before booking a suite in the Apollo or buying expensive dresses and jewelry. Get our free daily newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Monday through Friday. Perhaps this was why she married Robert Grayson, who had been a childhood friend. 27:1 counsels: Do not boast of tomorrow, for you do not know what the day will bring. He accordingly was punished tomorrow (that is, in the future). Feather also wrote Blow Top Blues a 1945 hit featuring her with . Jacobs sons wanted to kill the baby, so it would not be said that there was harlotry in Jacobs tents. While that film chronicles the plight of a young mixed-race woman who passes for white, Gavins mixed-race background is never referenced in that film or in others, despite his dark hair and swarthy skin. As a sign of her new persona, Washington also got a makeover. A Variety writer praised their vocals as "effective choruses".[6]. At what age did Dinah Washington die? During a fight, Washington got so angry that she bashed his beloved saxophone against a brick wall. Ever,' she recalled. Washington was one youngbride. Still, Oberon did not confess to being Indian. Washington believed in living big and taking risks. According to the Rabbis, Leah was bedecked as a harlot when she went to meet her husband. She lived big, shone bright, and left us all too soon. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. Washington was having none of that. She started singing blues and pop-tinged ballads with Apollo Records, then moved onto a more prominent label, Mercury Records, when she felt she had outgrown the folks at Apollo. And the reason was more shocking than youd think. Did Dinah Washington really lose it when she attended one of Aretha Franklins shows and heard Franklin sing one of Washingtons songs as depicted in the new movie Respect? I bow down to Dinah Washington. Told me to open wide. When Simeon and Levi came to the city and killed Shechem and Hamor, they extricated Dinah from Shechems home. "[20], The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed her "TV Is the Thing (This Year)" as one of the songs that shaped rock and roll. Washington married yet another (!) Issachar, Zebulun, daughter Dinah, Joseph, and Benjamin, Continue Learning about Religious Studies. She followed it up with a version of Irving Gordon's "Unforgettable", and then two highly successful duets in 1960 with Brook Benton, "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (No. [Part 3]", "1940s musicians laid the cornerstone for rock 'n' roll", "Experience The Music: One Hit Wonders and The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum", "Tuscaloosa unveils Dinah Washington Avenue", "Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center ready for its debut in downtown Tuscaloosa", Queen: The Life and Music of Dinah Washington, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dinah_Washington&oldid=1152600926. While her parents were steady and her father had a good job, things were still rocky when Washington was a child. When interviewed, her sister often reminds writers that Dinah wasnt just showyshe was kind too. 1. My sister and I became schoolteachers. Cupid struck when he joined the Chicago Cardinals. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. As Punishment for Jacob. Between 1948 and 1955, she had 27 R&B top-10 hits, making her one of the most popular and successful singers of the period. My mother loved my older sister. Jewish writings say Asenath, the wife After getting knocked over by Washingtons powerhouse voice, Sherman ponied up and gave her a much-needed $50/week to sing for his patrons. When she was just 17, she met a man who seemed to speak her language. It wasnt long before the way-too-young couple tied the knot. gen. 46:15, exod. Who makes the plaid blue coat Jesse stone wears in Sea Change? Shechem's Guilt. But youre not laying around here doing nothing. Dinah never finished school, and that bothered my mother. Dinah had two sons who were close to us in age and were more like our brothers than nephews, says Dukes. When Dukes was born, in 1944, Ruth was 20. 7 Pop, No. > revealed a family skeleton--apparently Dinah Shore's mother had. Though, knowing Dinah, it might also have had something to do with Graysons incredibly handsome looks. Well, until an unexpected twist changed her plans. -Asher He told his protge to change her name to something the audience would remember, something that rolls of peoples tongues like rich liquor. With that, little ol Ruth Jones became the one and only Dinah Washington.. The Ku Klux Klan was gaining influence in the south, and the Jones family weren't going to sit around and . But that wasnt the worst part. Also known as: Queen of the Blues, Ruth Lee Jones. Dinah had got up off her chair, swept all the glasses and plates off her table, and was pointing at me, screaming, Bitch, dont you ever sing the Queens songs when the Queen is right in front of you!'. Truth Hurts: Binge-Worthy Stories About The Biggest Liars Of All Time, Tragedy Sent Queen Victoria Down A Cruel Road. Jewish Women's Archive. Later, James said, Washington came to her dressing room to apologize. Washington lived life in the fast lane. This husband didnt stick around for long after that, which honestly makes sense. From 1943 to 1946 she sang with the Lionel Hampton band and in 1946 began a successful solo career. Apart from hermany marriages, Washington also had several affairs with men that she didnt accompany down the aisle. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Dinah got married to Hubby Number Two in June of 1946. Eventually, she made it onto the Apollos hallowed stage, where she made a connection that would change her career forever.
