Torihope (August 29, 2008 at 2:04 am)

Actually, Chick Webb, a black man, was the one who was really responsible for propelling Ella into the limelight. The sad thing is that so many didn't want her around at first, black and white, because she wasn't 'pretty'. Yeah. Right. How about that beautiful voice, huh? The world's a better place because we had voices like Sarah's, Ella's, Billie's, and I feel Carmen McCrae, Betty Carter, and several others, though not as well known. ENJOY all.

Jar1red (August 20, 2008 at 10:39 pm)

I can agree with you both..I just love Sarah and feel like the World should kno of her voice...not many young people 2day know of her..But that will change soon I hope

jaflemin (August 20, 2008 at 12:08 pm)

Ella was brown, not light-skinned...further, how do you explain the relative obscurity of Carmen McRae and genuine invisibility of Etta Jones? Sarah was gorgeous, dark-skinned or no, as a young woman though her lifestyle quickly began to show in her body. I've read about Ella's failed relationship with the Norwegian...I think Ella was the most marketable and commercially successful largely because she was simply the most versatile.

jaflemin (August 20, 2008 at 12:01 pm)

Sarah is...but remember Billy was some years older than she (about 13). Also, Sarah died in great vocal shape...her chords weathered the ravages of time and excess astonishingly well. Billy's voice sounds even lower here than in his younger years, and in a way even better...I have a great recorded version of "As Time Goes By" of his from later years that I adore...the vibrato intervals are true chasms, but he's as romantic and seductive as ever, just as he is here! Real talent is timeless :)

Gregg30 (August 15, 2008 at 10:42 am)

I totally agree!

Gregg30 (August 15, 2008 at 10:39 am)

She was 61 here

winpointmedia (August 6, 2008 at 7:13 pm)

Greatest singer ever..ever! In her prime no one interpreted music like the Divine One.

djjazzyjam (July 26, 2008 at 4:38 am)

don't get me wrong i love ella and billie but sarah has always been my favorite. no one sings like her

waynebrasler (July 2, 2008 at 10:46 pm)

Two talents of such stature you really can't find anyone left to compare with them. They both left remarkable recording libraries. Both recorded at length for Mercury and then Roulette; Billy then did a large body of work for Motown which has largely been unheralded but was surprisingly excellent. Only Motown would have given him a song titled "My Way" but not THAT "My Way."

Junkay2 (June 29, 2008 at 6:10 am)

Sarah Vaughan the 1942 "amateur" winner? Singing like that, there was nothing amateurish about that performance!