Irene Reid
Encyclopedia
Irene Reid was an American jazz
singer.
Reid was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia
. She sang in church and in high school
in Georgia, and moved to New York City
in 1947 after her mother died. Toward the end of 1947, she tied out for an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater
in Harlem
, and won the competition for five straight weeks. Soon after she was offered a slot as the featured vocalist with Dick Vance
at the Savoy Ballroom
, which she held from 1948-1950.
In 1961-62, Reid sang with Count Basie
's orchestra, and recorded for Verve Records
. She later performed in a Broadway
production of the musical
The Wiz
. Additionally, she sang with Carmen McRae
, Sarah Vaughan
, Aretha Franklin
, and B.B King. Reid receded from fame in the 1970s and 1980s, but launched a comeback near the end of that decade. She appeared at the Savannah Jazz Festival in 1991, 1994, and 1996, and continued releasing albums on Savant Records in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2002, British DJ duo Beginerz sampled Reid's vocals to make the club hit "Reckless Girl."
In 2009, Grammy Award winning American female rapper, Lil' Kim, sampled Reid's vocals to make the hit "I Came Back For You".
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer.
Reid was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. She sang in church and in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Georgia, and moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1947 after her mother died. Toward the end of 1947, she tied out for an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, and won the competition for five straight weeks. Soon after she was offered a slot as the featured vocalist with Dick Vance
Dick Vance
Dick Vance was an American jazz trumpeter and arranger.Vance was raised in Cleveland, where he initially played violin before concentrating on trumpet. He played in Cleveland with J. Frank Terry before joining Lil Armstrong's band in 1934-35...
at the Savoy Ballroom
Savoy Ballroom
The Savoy Ballroom, located in Harlem, New York City, was a medium sized ballroom for music and public dancing that was in operation from March 12, 1926 to July 10, 1958. It was located between 140th and 141st Streets on Lenox Avenue....
, which she held from 1948-1950.
In 1961-62, Reid sang with Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
's orchestra, and recorded for Verve Records
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
. She later performed in a Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
production of the musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
The Wiz
The Wiz
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974 at the Morris A...
. Additionally, she sang with Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae
Carmen Mercedes McRae was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable...
, Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, and B.B King. Reid receded from fame in the 1970s and 1980s, but launched a comeback near the end of that decade. She appeared at the Savannah Jazz Festival in 1991, 1994, and 1996, and continued releasing albums on Savant Records in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2002, British DJ duo Beginerz sampled Reid's vocals to make the club hit "Reckless Girl."
In 2009, Grammy Award winning American female rapper, Lil' Kim, sampled Reid's vocals to make the hit "I Came Back For You".
Discography
- It's Only the Beginning for Irene Reid (MGM RecordsMGM RecordsMGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
, 1963) - Room for One More (Verve RecordsVerve RecordsVerve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
, 1965) - It's Too late (Verve, 1966)
- A Man Only Does (What a Woman Makes Him Do) (Verve, 1967)
- I've been here all the time (Barry)
- The World Needs What I Need (Polydor RecordsPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, 1971) - Two Of Us (Glades Records, 1976)
- The Lady from Savannah (Birdland Records), 1989)
- Thanks to You (Inspire, 1991) Dedicated to her grandson Rodney S Reid
- Million Dollar Secret (Savant Records, 1997)
- I Ain't Doing Too Bad (Savant, 1999)
- The Uptown Lowdown (Savant, 1999)
- Movin' Out (Savant, 1999)
- One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (Savant, 2001)