Dorothy Dandridge

My research will be over Dorothy Dandridge. She was born November 9, 1922 in Cleveland. Her father was not in her life therefore she was raised by her mother and Geneva Williams who was a friend of the mothers; she also had an older sister named Vivian. As children the two sisters performed together in an act called "The Wonder Children". They sang, danced, acrobatics,and different skits. In the year 1938 they performed at the Cotton Club going under the name of Dandridge Sisters. While performing there she found her husband and they got married in 1942. She broke away from her sister and also divorced her husband. She went out on her own and she had a singing act which got her a lot of recognition. She performed in clubs in California and Las Vegas. During this time she faced a lot of racism but it did not stop her from performing. She was the first black women to perform at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Also the first black women to receive the honor of being nominated for Best Actress because of her appearance in the movie "Bright Road". She died on September 8, 1965.

The song I chose to listen to was I Got Rhythm. It is her singing accompanied by a piano in the beginning and it starts off slow. Then it breaks off into a band behind while she sings. There are all types of instruments in the band. There is an ABA form through the first chorus and then the band just plays for about 8 counts as the "chorus" the Dorthy starts to sing another versus in ABA form. Then it ends with the band playing loud and her holding a high note.