A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers »

Will Friedwald writes about music for The Wall Street Journal and was the jazz (and cabaret) critic for The New York Sun. He is the author of eight books, including Stardust Melodies: A Biography of Twelve of America’s Most Popular Songs; Jazz Singing: America’s Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond; Sinatra! The Song Is You: A Singer’s Art; and The Good Life (with Tony Bennett). He has written nearly five hundred liner notes for compact discs, for which he has received eight Grammy nominations. He has also written for Vanity Fair, The Village Voice, Entertainment Weekly, American Heritage, and The New York Times, among other publications.

Will Friedwald’s illuminating, opinionated essays—provocative, funny, and personal—on the lives and careers of more than three hundred singers anatomize the work of the most important jazz and popular performers of the twentieth century. From giants like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland to lesser-known artists like Jeri Southern and Joe Mooney, they have created a body of work that continues to please and inspire. Here is the most extensive biographical and critical survey of these singers ever written, as well as an essential guide to the Great American Songbook and those who shaped the way it has been sung.
 
The music crosses from jazz to pop and back again, from the songs of Irving Berlin and W. C. Handy through Stephen Sondheim and beyond, bringing together straightforward jazz and pop singers (Billie Holiday, Perry Como); hybrid artists who moved among genres and combined them (Peggy Lee, Mel Tormé); the leading men and women of Broadway and Hollywood (Ethel Merman, Al Jolson); yesterday’s vaudeville and radio stars (Sophie Tucker, Eddie Cantor); and today’s cabaret artists and hit-makers (Diana Krall, Michael Bublé). Friedwald has also written extended pieces on the most representative artists of five significant genres that lie outside the songbook: Bessie Smith (blues), Mahalia Jackson (gospel), Hank Williams (country and western), Elvis Presley (rock ’n’ roll), and Bob Dylan (folk-rock).
 
Friedwald reconsiders the personal stories and professional successes and failures of all these artists, their songs, and their performances, appraising both the singers and their music by balancing his opinions with those of fellow musicians, listeners, and critics.
 
This magisterial reference book—ten years in the making—will delight and inform anyone with a passion for the iconic music of America, which continues to resonate throughout our popular culture.

The Barnes & Noble Review

Will Friedwald is one opinionated fellow. His 811-page Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers, ten years in the making, celebrates both the famous and obscure pop singers of the past century, and every last one of its essays is filled with passion, high praise, and occasionally, vitriol. The end result is a highly personal guide likely to entertain, educate, and occasionally infuriate -- exactly the attributes one wants in a pop culture encyclopedia.

This table of contents includes an alphabetical list of all the artists featured in the dictionary: individual artists, the five “extras” (iconic singers in other genres), and those included in multiple artist entries. These multiple artist groupings, which are in more or less chronological order, are also listed below for your reference.

Introduction
 
Individual Artists
 
Lorez Alexandria Ernestine Anderson Ivie Anderson Julie Andrews The Andrews Sisters Harold Arlen Lil Hardin Armstrong Louis Armstrong Fred Astaire Gene Austin Harry Babbitt Mildred Bailey Pearl Bailey Chet Baker Josephine Baker Tex Beneke Tony Bennett Andy Bey Connee Boswell and the Boswell Sisters Al Bowlly Dee Dee Bridgewater Hadda Brooks Cleo Brown Michael Bublé
Jackie Cain Ann Hampton Callaway Cab Calloway Eddie Cantor Una Mae Carlisle Hoagy Carmichael Barbara Carroll Betty Carter Ray Charles June Christy Peter Cincotti Buddy Clark Rosemary Clooney Freddy Cole Nat King Cole Natalie Cole Russ Columbo Perry Como Eric Comstock Harry Connick, Jr.
Chris Connor Barbara Cook Sam Cooke Sir Noel Coward Bing Crosby Jamie Cullum Vic Damone Bobby Darin Sammy Davis Jr.
Doris Day Blossom Dearie Matt Dennis Johnny Desmond Marlene Dietrich Alfred Drake Jimmy Durante Bob Dylan Ray Eberle Bob Eberly Billy Eckstine Cliff Edwards Kurt Elling Skinnay Ennis Ruth Etting Alice Faye Michael Feinstein Gracie Fields Ella Fitzgerald Helen Forrest Aretha Franklin Judy Garland Eydie Gormé
Robert Goulet Buddy Greco Adelaide Hall Annette Hanshaw Mary Cleere Haran Allan Harris Marion Harris Johnny Hartman Dick Haymes Bill Henderson Woody Herman Al Hibbler Billie Holiday Shirley Horn Lena Horne Helen Humes Hutch (Leslie Hutchinson)
Betty Hutton Marion Hutton Alberta Hunter Mahalia Jackson Eddie Jefferson Herb Jeffries Clarence Johnstone Al Jolson Etta Jones Jack Jones Louis Jordan Sheila Jordan Kitty Kallen Howard Keel Richard Kiley Teddi King Eartha Kitt Irene Kral Roy Kral Diana Krall Cleo Laine Frankie Laine Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross Dorothy Lamour Turner Layton Steve Lawrence Barbara Lea Julia Lee Peggy Lee Abbey Lincoln Julie London Nick Lucas Nellie Lutcher Gloria Lynne Gordon MacRae Kevin Mahogany Andrea Marcovicci Dean Martin Mary Martin Johnny Mathis Susannah McCorkle Audra McDonald Ray McKinley Carmen McRae Johnny Mercer Mabel Mercer Ethel Merman Helen Merrill The Mills Brothers Guy Mitchell Matt Monro Joe Mooney Helen Morgan Lee Morse Mark Murphy Rose Murphy Anita O’Day Patti Page Jackie Paris King Pleasure Elvis Presley Louis Prima Arthur Prysock John Raitt Ramona Lou Rawls Johnnie Ray Martha Raye Della Reese Dianne Reeves Irene Reid Ann Richards Jimmy Rushing
(Little) Jimmy Scott Daryl Sherman Dinah Shore Bobby Short Nina Simone Ginny Simms Frank Sinatra Carol Sloane Bessie Smith Kate Smith Jeri Southern Jo Stafford Kay Starr Dakota Staton Barbra Streisand Maxine Sullivan Sylvia Syms Jack Teagarden Shirley Temple Teri Thornton Martha Tilton Mel Tormé
Sophie Tucker George “Bon Bon” Tunnell Rudy Vallee Sarah Vaughan Bea Wain Fats Waller Helen Ward Dinah Washington Ethel Waters Elizabeth Welch Margaret Whiting Lee Wiley Andy Williams Hank Williams Joe Williams Cassandra Wilson Julie Wilson Nancy Wilson Edythe Wright
 
Multiple Artists

The Birth of the Croon: Cliff Edwards, Nick Lucas, Rudy Vallee, and Russ Columbo
 
Torch Singers and Flappers: Marion Harris, Ruth Etting, Helen Morgan, and Annette Hanshaw
 
African Americans Abroad: Adelaide Hall, Josephine Baker, Elisabeth Welch, and Alberta Hunter
 
There’ll Always Be an England: Hutch, Layton & Johnstone, and Gracie Fields
 
Female Band Singers I Benny’s Babes: Helen Ward, Martha Tilton, and Helen Forrest
 
Sing a Song of Ellington: Ivie Anderson, Herb Jeffries, and Al Hibbler
 
Sing a Song of Miller: Male (Mostly) Band Singers I—Bob Eberly, Ray Eberle, Marion Hutton, Johnny Desmond, Tex Beneke, and Ray McKinley
 
Singing Songwriters: Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, and Johnny Mercer
 
Female Bandsingers II—Big Bands into Pop: Edythe Wright, Bea Wain, Ginny Simms, Kitty Kallen
 
Male Band Singers II—Exceptional Boychicks: Harry Babbitt and George “Bon Bon” Tunnell
 
Hollywood Divas: Alice Faye, Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Temple, and Betty Hutton
 
Two Inimitables: Sir Noel Coward and Marlene Dietrich
 
Fats’s Femme Followers: Lee Morse, Ramona, Cleo Brown, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Una Mae Carlisle, Julia Lee, Nellie Lutcher, Rose Murphy, and Hadda Brooks
 
Big Pop (Male): Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, Guy Mitchell, Johnny Mathis, and Andy Williams
 
Hipsters and Bopsters: King Pleasure, Eddie Jefferson, Jackie Cain, Roy Kral, Irene Kral, Ann Richards, and Cleo Laine
 
Lee Wiley’s Boston Connection: Teddi King and Barbara Lea
 
Leading Ladies: Barbara Cook and Julie Andrews
 
Leading Men—In Defense of the Broadway Baritone: Alfred Drake, John Raitt, Gordon MacRae, Howard Keel, and Robert Goulet  
 
Dinah’s Daughters—Soulful Ladies and Local Favorites: Etta Jones, Gloria Lynne, Teri Thornton, Irene Reid, and Lorez Alexandria
 
Two Soulful Gentlemen: Sam Cooke and Lou Rawls
 
Blossom’s Buds and Dearie’s Daughters: Barbara Carroll, Daryl Sherman, and Ann Hampton Callaway
 
Rock Goes Standards!: From Connie Francis to Rod Stewart
 
Dynasty: Freddy Cole and Natalie Cole
 
Contemporary Male Jazz Singers: Allan Harris, Kevin Mahogany, and Kurt Elling
 
Contemporary Cabaret: Andrea Marcovicci, Mary Cleere Haran, Michael Feinstein, and Eric Comstock
 
Harry Connick Jr. and the Retro Crooner Boychicks: Harry Connick Jr., Michael Bublé, Jamie Cullum, and Peter Cincotti

Extras

Folk-Rock: Bob Dylan Gospel: Mahalia Jackson Rock ’n’ Roll: Elvis Presley Blues: Bessie Smith Country and Western: Hank Williams