Delores LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American R&B singer who had several

hit record A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...

s on the

pop chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include rec ...

in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "

Tweedle Dee "Tweedlee Dee" (also "Tweedly Dee" or "Tweedle Dee") is a rhythm and blues novelty song with a Latin music (genre), Latin-influenced riff written by Winfield Scott (songwriter), Winfield Scott for LaVern Baker and recorded by her at Atlantic Reco ...

" (1955), " Jim Dandy" (1956), and "

I Cried a Tear "I Cried a Tear" is a song written by Fred Jay and Al Julia and performed by American singer LaVern Baker. Atlantic Records released it as a single in 1958, which became Baker's most successful appearance on the record chart hits. King Curtis pl ...

" (1958). Baker was inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...

in 1991. The Hall remarked that her "fiery fusion of blues, jazz and R&B showcased her alluring vocals and set the stage for the rock and roll surge of the Fifties". Between 1955 and 1965, 20 of her songs made the R&B charts. Over the years,

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

recorded eight Baker songs.

Early life

Baker was born Delores Evans in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. She was raised in

Calumet City, Illinois Calumet City ( ) is a city in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 36,033 at the 2020 census, a decline of 2.7% from 37,042 in 2010. The ZIP code is 60409. Etymology The word ''Calumet'' is the Miꞌkmaq ...

. Under her mother's new surname, McMurley, Delores – on December 23, 1948, at age , in

Cook County, Illinois Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...

– married Eugene Williams.Goldberg, Marv (2009)
"Lavern Baker". ''Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks''
Retrieved May 25, 2014.

Career

Baker began singing in Chicago clubs such as the

Club DeLisa The Club DeLisa, also written Delisa or De Lisa, was an African-American nightclub and music venue in Chicago, Illinois. Located at 5521 South State Street (State Street and Garfield Avenue, on the South Side), it was possibly the most prestigious ...

around 1946, often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper, Deffaa, Chip (1996). ''Blue Rhythms: Six Lives in Rhythm and Blues''
University of Illinois Press. , . and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for

Okeh Records Okeh Records () is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918. The name was spelled "OkeH" from the initials of Ott ...

in 1951 and then was billed as LaVern Baker when she sang with

Todd Rhodes Todd Washington Rhodes (August 31, 1899 or 1900 – June 4, 1965) was an American pianist, bandleader and arranger who was an early influence in jazz and later in R&B. He recently became popular due to his song “Rocket 69” being featured in ...

and his band in 1952. In 1953 she signed with

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...

as a solo artist, her first release being "Soul on Fire". Her first hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo "Tweedle Dee", which reached number 4 on the

R&B chart The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

and number 14 on the national US pop chart.

Georgia Gibbs Georgia Gibbs (born Frieda Lipschitz; August 17, 1918December 9, 2006) was an American popular singer and vocal entertainer rooted in jazz. Already singing publicly in her early teens, Gibbs achieved acclaim and notoriety in the mid-1950s interp ...

recorded a note-for-note cover of the song, which reached number 1; subsequently Baker made an unsuccessful attempt to sue her and petitioned

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

to consider such covers copyright violations. 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" (number 3 R&B), "Play It Fair" (number 2 R&B), and "Still" (number 4 R&B). At the end of 1956 she had another hit with " Jim Dandy" (number 1 R&B, number 17 pop), which sold over one million copies and was certified as a gold disc. Further hits followed for Atlantic, including the follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married" (number 7 R&B), "

" (number 2 R&B, number 6 pop in 1958, with sax by

King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musicia ...

), "I Waited Too Long" (number 5 R&B, number 3 pop, written by

Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka (; born March 13, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collabo ...

), "Saved" (number 17 R&B, written by

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...

), and "

See See Rider "See See Rider", also known as "C.C. Rider", "See See Rider Blues" or "Easy Rider", is a popular American 12-bar blues song that became a standard in several genres. Gertrude "Ma" Rainey was the first to record it on October 16, 1924, at Param ...

" (number 9 R&B in 1963). In addition to singing, she did some work with

Ed Sullivan Edward Vincent Sullivan (September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American television personality, impresario, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist for the ''New York Daily News'' and the Chicago Tribune New York ...

LaVern Baker bio
, A&E Television Networks, 2014; accessed September 28, 2014. and

Alan Freed Albert James "Alan" Freed (December 15, 1921 – January 20, 1965) was an American disc jockey. He also produced and promoted large traveling concerts with various acts, helping to spread the importance of rock and roll music throughout Nor ...

on TV and in films, including '' Rock, Rock, Rock'' and ''Mr. Rock & Roll''. In 1964, she recorded a

Bessie Smith Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer widely renowned during the Jazz Age. Nicknamed the " Empress of the Blues", she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1930s. Inducted into the Rock and ...

tribute album. She then left Atlantic for

Brunswick Records Brunswick Records is an American record label founded in 1916. History From 1916 Records under the Brunswick label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, a company based in Dubuque, Iowa which had been manufacturing produ ...

, for which she recorded the album ''Let Me Belong to You''. Baker toured Australia in 1957 as part of Lee Gordon's Big Show, performing with a number of rock 'n' roll bands including

Bill Haley and the Comets Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band founded in 1947 that continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group record ...

. She appeared in the film Rock, Rock, Rock! (1956). In 1966, Baker recorded a duet single with

Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer and performer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a mas ...

. The controversial song, "Think Twice", featured raunchy lyrics considered inappropriate for airplay at that time or even today. Three versions were recorded, one of which is the version with the raunchy lyrics. After divorcing Eugene Williams in the fall of 1958, Baker married the comedian

Slappy White Melvin Edward "Slappy" White (September 27, 1921 – November 7, 1995) was an American comedian and actor. He worked with Redd Foxx on the Chitlin' Circuit of stand-up comedy during the 1950s and 1960s. He appeared on the television shows ''Sa ...

February 19, 1959, in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

. After the couple was divorced in 1969, Baker signed on for a USO tour. She became seriously ill with

bronchial pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity of ...

after a trip to

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

. While recovering at the U.S. naval base at Subic Bay, in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, a friend recommended that she stay on as the entertainment director at the Marine Corps Staff NCO club there. She remained there for 22 years, returning to the United States after the base was closed in 1988. In 1988, she performed at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

for Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary. She then worked on the soundtracks of the films ''

Shag Shag, or Shagged, or Shagger, or Shagging, or Shags may refer to: Animals * Shag or cormorant, a bird family ** European shag, a specific species of the shag or cormorant family ** Great cormorant another species of the family People Pseudonym ...

'' (1989), ''

Dick Tracy ''Dick Tracy'' is an American comic strip featuring Dick Tracy (originally Plainclothes Tracy), a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on Sunday, October 4, 1931, in the ''Detroit Mirror'', and it ...

'' (1990) and ''

A Rage in Harlem ''A Rage in Harlem'' is a 1991 American crime film directed by Bill Duke and loosely based on Chester Himes' novel ''A Rage in Harlem''. The film stars Forest Whitaker, Danny Glover, Badja Djola, Robin Givens and Gregory Hines. Producer Stephen W ...

'' (1991), all of which were issued on CD. She performed a song for

Alan Parker Sir Alan William Parker (14 February 1944 – 31 July 2020) was an English filmmaker. His early career, beginning in his late teens, was spent as a copywriter and director of television advertisements. After about ten years of filming adverts ...

's film ''

Angel Heart ''Angel Heart'' is a 1987 American neo-noir psychological horror film, an adaptation of William Hjortsberg's 1978 novel ''Falling Angel''. The film was written and directed by Alan Parker, and stars Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet, a ...

'' (1987), which appeared on the original vinyl soundtrack album but was not included on the later CD issue "for contractual reasons". In 1990, she made her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut, replacing

Ruth Brown Ruth Alston Brown (; January 12, 1928 – November 17, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and actress, sometimes referred to as the " Queen of R&B". She was noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for Atl ...

as the star of the hit musical ''

Black and Blue ''Black and Blue'' is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976 by Rolling Stones Records. This album was the first recorded after former guitarist Mick Taylor quit ...

''. In 1991,

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

released a new album, ''Live in Hollywood'', recorded at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill, and a compilation of her greatest Atlantic hits, ''Soul on Fire''. In 1992, she recorded a well-received studio album, ''Woke Up This Morning'', for

DRG Records MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch", formerly known as Koch Records and eOne Music) is a New York City-based independent record label and music management company. It was formed in 2009 from the music assets of Koch Entertainment, which had b ...

. She continued performing after both legs were amputated because of complications due to diabetes in 1994. Baker made her last recording, "Jump into the Fire," for the 1995

Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal ove ...

tribute CD, '' For the Love of Harry'', on the Music Masters label. In 1990 Baker was among the first eight recipients of the Pioneer Award from the

Rhythm and Blues Foundation The Rhythm and Blues Foundation is an independent American nonprofit organization dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of rhythm and blues music. The idea for the foundation came in 1987 during discussions about royalties with en ...

. In 1991, she became the second female solo artist inducted into the

, following

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

in 1987. Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...

and was ranked number 343 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the

500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...

. In 2020 Baker was inducted into the

National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is an independent organization whose mission is to educate and to celebrate, preserve, promote, and present rhythm and blues music globally. History The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame was founded ...

Death

Baker died of

cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, h ...

on March 10, 1997, at the age of 67. She was buried in an unmarked plot in Maple Grove Cemetery, in

Kew Gardens, New York Kew Gardens is a neighborhood in the central area of the New York City borough of Queens. Kew Gardens is bounded to the north by the Union Turnpike and the Jackie Robinson Parkway (formerly the Interboro Parkway), to the east by the Van Wyck Exp ...

. Local historians raised funds for a headstone, which was erected on May 4, 2008.Profile
, Nysac.com; accessed September 28, 2014.

Discography

Singles

Albums

''LaVern'' (1956)

Side A #"Lots and Lots of Love" #"Of Course I Do" #"You'll Be Crying" #"Miracles" #"I'm in a Crying Mood" #"Mine All Mine" Side B #" Harbor Lights" #"

I'll Never Be Free "I'll Never Be Free" is a song written by Bennie Benjamin and George Weiss and performed by Kay Starr and Tennessee Ernie Ford. It reached #2 on the U.S. country chart and #3 on the U.S. pop chart in 1950. Other charting versions *Louis Jorda ...

" #"Romance in the Dark" #"

Everybody's Somebody's Fool "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" is a song written by Jack Keller and Howard Greenfield that was a No. 1 hit for Connie Francis in 1960. A polka-style version in German, "Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel", was the first German single recorded and ...

" #"How Long Will It Be" #"Fool That I Am"

''LaVern Baker'' (1957)

Side A #" Jim Dandy" #"Tra La La" #"I Can't Love You Enough" #"Get Up, Get Up (You Sleepy Head)" #"That's All I Need" #"Bop-Ting-a-Ling" #"

Tweedlee Dee "Tweedlee Dee" (also "Tweedly Dee" or "Tweedle Dee") is a rhythm and blues novelty song with a Latin-influenced riff written by Winfield Scott for LaVern Baker and recorded by her at Atlantic Records' studio in New York City in 1954. It was her f ...

" Side B #"Still" #"Play It Fair" #"Tomorrow Night" #"That Lucky Old Sun" #"Soul on Fire" #"My Happiness Forever" #"How Can You Leave a Man Like This?"

''LaVern Baker Sings Bessie Smith'' (1958)

Side A #"

Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer) "Gimme a Pigfoot" is a 1933 song written by Wesley Wilson, probably with Coot Grant, his wife, though she is not usually credited on record labels. It was first recorded by Bessie Smith, and versions have been released by many other artists. It ...

" #"Baby Doll" #"On Revival Day" #"Money Blues" #"I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle" #"Back Water Blues" Side B #"

Empty Bed Blues "Empty Bed Blues" is a 1928 "dirty blues" song written by J. C. Johnson and first recorded by Bessie Smith. Bessie Smith recorded the song in New York on March 20, 1928. The accompanying musicians were Porter Grainger (piano) and Charlie Gree ...

" #"

There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight "A Hot Time in the Old Town", also titled as "There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight", is an American popular song, copyrighted and perhaps composed in 1896 by Theodore August Metz with lyrics by Joe Hayden. Metz was the band leader of t ...

" #"

Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" is a blues standard written by pianist Jimmie Cox in 1923 and originally performed in a Vaudeville-blues style. The lyrics in the popular 1929 recording by Bessie Smith are told from the point of vie ...

" #"After You've Gone" #"Young Woman's Blues" #"Preaching the Blues"

''Blues Ballads'' (1959)

Side A #"I Cried a Tear" #"If You Love Me" #"You're Teasing Me" #"Love Me Right" #"Dix-a-Billy" #"So High So Low" Side B #"I Waited Too Long" #"Why Baby Why" #"Humpty Dumpty Heart" #"It's So Fine" #"Whipper Snapper" #"

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...

''Precious Memories: LaVern Baker Sings Gospel'' (1959)

Side A #"Precious Memories" #"Carrying the Cross for My Boss" #"

Just a Closer Walk with Thee "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a traditional gospel song and jazz standard that has been performed and recorded by many artists. Performed as either an instrumental or vocal, "A Closer Walk" is perhaps the most frequently played number in the ...

" #"Touch Me, Lord Jesus" #"

Didn't It Rain "Didn't It Rain", sometimes given as "Oh, Didn't It Rain", is a spiritual about Noah's flood. In 1919 it appeared as sheet music in an arrangement for voice and piano by Henry Thacker Burleigh (1866–1949). Modern versions * The Galilee Sing ...

" #"Precious Lord" Side B #"Somebody Touched Me" #"In the Upper Room" #"Journey to the Sky" #"Everytime I Feel the Spirit" #"Too Close" #"Without a God"

''Saved'' (1961)

Side A #" Saved" #"For Love of You" #"Manana" #"My Time Will Come" #"Shadows of Love" #"Must I Cry Again" Side B #"Bumble Bee" #"

Shake a Hand "Shake a Hand" is a 1953 song written by the trumpeter and bandleader Joe Morris and originally recorded by Faye Adams, whose version stayed number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' R&B chart for nine weeks. Background The song, which has a strong ...

" #"Don Juan" #"Wheel of Fortune" #"Senor Big and Fine" #"Eternally"

''See See Rider'' (1963)

Side A #"

" #"You Better Stop" #"He's a Real Gone Guy" #"Story of My Love" #"You Said" #"I'm Leavin' You" Side B #"

Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" is a country song about a man away from home who is worried that his paramour may unwittingly stray from their relationship. The song was recorded in many different styles by many artists. It was written by Wi ...

" #" Trying" #"Half of Your Love" #"A Little Bird Told Me So" #"Endless Love" #"All the Time"

''Let Me Belong to You'' (1970)

Side A #"

Pledging My Love "Pledging My Love" is a blues ballad. It was written by Ferdinand Washington and Don Robey and published in 1954. Background The song's theme is captured in the title and the opening lines: :Forever my darling, my love will be true, :Always an ...

" #"Let Me Belong to You" #"I'm the One to Do It" #"Baby" #"Born to Lose" Side B #"Call Me Darling" #"Love Is Ending" #"Baby Don't You Do It" #"I Need You So" #"Play It Fair"

''Woke Up This Mornin (1992)

References

External links

* * *
Biography of Lavern Baker

Discography of Lavern Baker
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Lavern 1929 births 1997 deaths Actresses from Illinois 20th-century African-American women singers American expatriates in the Philippines American film actresses American gospel singers American rhythm and blues singers American television actresses Atlantic Records artists Brunswick Records artists Singers from Chicago Jump blues musicians 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers