Role

:

Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

May 27, 1950 in Memphis, TN

Genre

:

Band

 

 

Film

 

Dee Dee Bridgewater is a renowned jazz singer, songwriter, and actress who has made a significant contribution to the world of music. Born Denise Eileen Garrett on May 27, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee, she grew up in Flint, Michigan, where she began singing in church at a young age. Her mother was a teacher and her father was a jazz trumpeter, which exposed her to music from an early age. Bridgewater attended Michigan State University, where she studied music education and performed with the university's jazz band. She later moved to Illinois to pursue a career in music and began performing in local clubs. In 1970, she joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, which was one of the most prominent jazz bands of the time. She toured with the band for three years and recorded three albums with them. In 1974, Bridgewater released her debut album, entitled "Afro Blue," which was a tribute to the music of Mongo Santamaria. The album was well-received and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. She followed up with several more albums, including "Just Family" (1978), "Bad for Me" (1979), and "Dee Dee Bridgewater" (1980). In the 1980s, Bridgewater moved to France and began performing in Parisian clubs. She also appeared in several French films and television shows. In 1984, she released the album "Live in Paris," which was recorded at the Olympia Theatre in Paris. The album was a critical and commercial success and earned her a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female. Bridgewater continued to release albums throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including "Keeping Tradition" (1993), "Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver" (1995), and "J'ai Deux Amours" (2005). She also collaborated with other musicians, including Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sonny Rollins. In addition to her music career, Bridgewater has also acted in several films and television shows. She appeared in the films "The Cotton Club" (1984) and "Round Midnight" (1986), for which she won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She also appeared in the television series "The Cosby Show" and "A Different World." Bridgewater has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. In addition to her Grammy Awards, she has also received several Jazz Journalists Association Awards, a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship, and a French Legion of Honor. She was also named a United Nations Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization in 1999. Bridgewater continues to perform and record music to this day. She has also become an advocate for jazz education and has worked with several organizations to promote jazz music to young people. Her contributions to the world of music have made her one of the most respected and influential jazz singers of her generation.

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