Few singers have the emotional depth and versatility of Abbey Lincoln. With a voice capable of evoking the joys and pains of life, she has carved a niche as a singer, songwriter, and storyteller for over 40 years. Today, she's a living jazz legend, still striving for new creative, self-expression.
Born Anna Marie Wooldridge on August 6, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, Abbey grew up in rural Michigan on a large farm with her eleven siblings. The family had a piano, and Abbey developed an interest in music at an early age and soon started singing in school and church choirs.
As Lincoln's talent matured, she began learning to express the emotions behind the lyrics. She credits the recordings of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and Dinah Washington with teaching her how to sing with conviction.
To escape the harsh Michigan winters, Abbey moved to California. At age 22, she spent a year in Honolulu, singing at a nightclub under the name Gaby Lee. When she moved back to California, she met lyricist Bob Russell, who became her manager and renamed her Abbey Lincoln.
After several years in the West, Abbey left for Chicago. While her singing career was beginning to build, she landed a role singing in the film The Girl Can't Help It, wearing a dress once worn by Marilyn Monroe. But the glamorous life wasn't sitting well with Abbey, and she fired Russel and moved on.
In 1956, Abbey recorded her first album, Abbey Lincoln's Affair: A Story of a Girl in Love. The following year, she moved to New York City and worked at the Village Vanguard, which at that time was an intimate supper club, perfect for aspiring artists. |
