LaVern Baker

LaVern Baker

She helped pave the way for rock and roll.

Founded

November 11, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois

Full Name

Delores Evans

Date of Birth

November 11, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois

Still Alive

Date of Death

March 10, 1997 in Queens, New York

Influenced By

Gospel, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Dinah Washington

Later Influenced

Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan

Lavern Baker, 1956.
Lavern Baker, 1956.

About The artist

"A rock and roll diva with an irresistible belt and sultry R&B edge. 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. A versatile vocalist, LaVern Baker proved capable of melding blues, jazz and R&B styles in a way that made possible the emergence of a new idiom: rock and roll."
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

"We can hear the soul, the spirit, and the sense of humor in her art."
Chaka Khan

Did you know...

In 1969, Baker became seriously ill during a trip to entertain troops in Vietnam. She spent her recovery at U.S. naval base at Subic Bay, in the Philippines and ended up running the NCO club there for 22 years.

Other Artists from this genre

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The powerful singer "At Last" and "Tell Mama."

Louis Jordan

Louis Jordan

The King of The Jukebox.

Ray Charles

Ray Charles

Brother Ray.

Big Mama Thornton

Big Mama Thornton

The mother of rock & roll.

Genres from this era

Rhythm & Blues

Rhythm & Blues

The big bands get smaller and grittier.

BeBop

BeBop

Jazz music moves off the dance floor.

Electric Blues

Electric Blues

The blues follows the Great Migration north and plugs in.

Rock & Roll

Rock & Roll

The biggest musical phenomenon of the 20th century.

Doo-Wop

Doo-Wop

Urban-born rich vocal harmonies combined with teen romance.