Catherine Jane Whitney (born in Chicago, Illinois) is an American jazz singer, composer, and lyricist. She was a lyricist for trumpeter

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...

. Whitney learned about music as a child, since her mother, Dorothy Brady, made a living as a vocalist and bandleader in Chicago in the 1950s and '60s. Her stepfather was George E. Lescher, a pianist who played with the

Spike Jones Lindley Armstrong "Spike" Jones (December 14, 1911 – May 1, 1965) was an American musician and bandleader specializing in spoof arrangements of popular songs and classical music. Ballads receiving the Jones treatment were punctuated with gun ...

Band during World War II and was a longtime Chicago resident. In later years, he led the George Lescher Ballroom Orchestra. Whitney began her professional jazz singing career in the early 1990s under the mentoring of

Von Freeman Earle Lavon "Von" Freeman Sr. (October 3, 1923 – August 11, 2012) was an American hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, Freeman as a young child was exposed to jazz. His father, George, a city policeman, was a c ...

, a tenor saxophonist in Chicago. Jerry Brown and Gloria Cooper have recorded her work and three songs (in collaboration with

Curtis Fuller Curtis DuBois Fuller (December 15, 1932May 8, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist. He was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and contributed to many classic jazz recordings. Early life Fuller was born in Detroit on December 15, 1932. ...

Rodgers Grant Rodgers Lee Grant (January 18, 1936 – April 12, 2012) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and lyricist. After working with saxophonist Hugo Dickens in the 1950s, he became pianist for Mongo Santamaría in the 1960s. In 1963, Grant wrote the ...

, and Milton Sealey). In October 2010, New York jazz vocalist Suzanne Pittson recorded a rendition of Freddie Hubbard's song "Our Own" (based on "Gibraltar"), which contained lyrics by Whitney. She has collaborated with

Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...

Houston Person Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He received the ...

Clifford Jordan Clifford Laconia Jordan (September 2, 1931 – March 27, 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after ...

Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion dur ...

, Ray Brown, and

Pete Cosey Peter Palus Cosey (October 9, 1943 – May 30, 2012) was an American guitarist who played with Miles Davis' band between 1973 and 1975. His fiercely flanged and distorted guitar invited comparisons to Jimi Hendrix. Cosey kept a low profile for ...

. She is also a

Broadcast Music Incorporated Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 20.6 milli ...

(BMI) affiliated writer. She has worked with many Chicago musicians, including

,Publication:Article from Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) Article date:August 28, 1998 Author:Barbara Vitello, 2009 Paddock Publications. John Young,

Jodie Christian Jodie Christian (February 2, 1932 – February 13, 2012)
- accessed February 14, 2012 was an American jazz pianist, n ...

, John Bany, Richie Cole, Robert Shy, Tommy Muellner, Rusty Jones,

Jose Valdes José Angel Valdes (born August 4, 1957) is a Jazz, Latin jazz and classical pianist, organist and bandleader. Career Early years His father, José Valdes, was born in San Carlos, Tamaulipas, Mexico and was his first musical influence. His late ...

, Arnold Gitard, and Johnie Faren.

References

* Second Floor Music Co., New York, NY, "One Heart's Dream" lyrics by Catherine Whitney, music by Rodgers Grant, 1994, 1987 * Second Floor Music Co., New York, NY, "Sweet And True" lyrics by Catherine Whitney, music by Curtis Fuller, 1994 * Second Floor Music Co., New York, NY, "New York Dream" lyrics by Catherine Whitney, music by Clifford Jordan, 1994 * Hubtones Music Co., "First Light" lyrics by Catherine Whitney, music by Freddie Hubbard, 1994, 1971 * Hubtones Music Co., "Our Own" lyrics by Catherine Whitney, music by Freddie Hubbard, 1994 * "Sing JAZZ!" Various Vocal(Arranged by Dr. Gloria Cooper) / Published by Second Floor Music, distributed by Hal Leonard (Stock No.: HHL0074021) * Chicago Tribune article "Jazz Heirs Freeman Shines Among Rising Stars" August 3, 1993, By Howard Reich, Tribune Arts Critic.

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitney, Catherine American women jazz singers American jazz singers Singers from Chicago Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Jazz musicians from Illinois 21st-century American women