After winning a talent contest at the age of 15, she began performing in clubs. Jewish Women's Archive. As punishment for this behavior, God caused Leah even greater embarrassment with the episode of Dinah (Gen. Rabbati, Vayishlah, p. 168). Just five months after they wed, Washington and Lane partedand for once, a divorce wasnt at fault. Either way, Washington would soon learn that she chose the wrong guy. She wanted the lands young men to see her beauty, and Shechem did indeed see her and desire her. Her last big hit was "September in the Rain" in 1961 (No. After getting knocked over by Washingtons powerhouse voice, Sherman ponied up and gave her a much-needed $50/week to sing for his patrons. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. What was Dinah Washington childhood like? 27:1 counsels: Do not boast of tomorrow, for you do not know what the day will bring. He accordingly was punished tomorrow (that is, in the future). They relate that Dinah would stay within her tent and not go about, as was fitting for a daughter of Jacob. Cupid struck when he joined the Chicago Cardinals. But that wasnt the worst part. 'Respect' Fact Check: Did Dinah Washington Really Lose It - TheWrap As Punishment for Jacob. Dinah Washington belonged to the latter category. Its true we were a religious family and my mother never really reconciled herself to the fact that Ruth stopped singing in churches, says Dukes. But I said, You have to go. You know you run through men when gossip magazines cant even keep track of them. As such, several movie stars who werent solely of European heritage worked to adjust their appearances so they passedfor white in film, their personal lives, or both. Ready to earn, she kicked her singing career into the next level. Her principal sin, apparently, was to cultivate a distinctive vocal style that was at home in all kinds of music, be it R&B, blues, jazz, middle of the road pop and she probably would have made a fine gospel or country singer had she the time. She sang gospel music in church and played piano, directing her church choir in her teens and was a member of the Sallie Martin Gospel Singers. Dinah Washington Facts. Brook Benton, over his 40-year-long career, wrote, co-wrote, and recorded over 100 singles, many of them hits we still frequently hear today. 3, none of Washingtons marriages made it to the one year mark. . According to the biography, Franklin had an encounter with Washington has well after her show at a Detroit club, Franklin received a visit from Washington in her dressing room, where Washington allegedly began to criticize Aretha for the mess in the room. My sister and I became schoolteachers. Other theories say she married The prophet Job . When Dinah Washington sang, audiences were expected to pay attention. But my favorite is, and always will be, This Bitter Earth. Just thinking about it gives me chills! The 12 sons of Jacob correspond to the 12 tribes of Israel. ' So Clarissa and Eugene Smith, Dukes, and Washingtons surviving son, Robert Grayson, rode in a limousine to the theater. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, Respect Film Review: Jennifer Hudson Brings Soul to Aretha Franklin Biopic, Respect': Jennifer Hudsons Aretha Franklin Finds Her Voice in New Trailer (Video). Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. I grew up in the house she bought us and went to college with the money she gave us. Oh, and she won a Grammy for it as well. In 1934's "Imitation of Life," Washington plays a light-skinned Black woman who denies her Black mother to cross the color line, posing as white. Dinah being the "Canaanite woman." After all, she had to earn enough to support her baby son. Dinah Washington was one of the most popular singers of her generation, and was dubbed the "Queen of the Blues". She was playing at the Three Deuces, a jazz club, when a friend took her to hear Billie Holiday at the Garrick Stage Bar. Well, until an unexpected twist changed her plans. Most scholars agree that these boyfriends didnt have Washingtons best interests at heart and were instead looking for a good time with a wealthy lady. Yeah, after learning about that, Washington left her second husband in the dust where he belonged. She followed it up with a version of Irving Gordon's "Unforgettable", and then two highly successful duets in 1960 with Brook Benton, "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (No. The pair quickly wed, only to divorce even faster. Channing went on to win accolades for her performances in Hello Dolly! and Gentleman Prefer Blondes., Universal International Pictures/Getty Images. She had a beautiful voiceshe sang gospel in the church choirowned a music store that sold religious material, and was adamant about us getting an education. Smith and her husband, Eugene, had two children. All Rights Reserved. Washington was one youngbride. Finally, Simeon vowed to her that he would marry her. 1 R&B). I think Aretha sang Precious Lord (Take My Hand). A few days later we went up to Ruths house for Christmas. She made her recording debut for the Keynote label that December with "Evil Gal Blues", written by Leonard Feather and backed by Hampton and musicians from his band, including Joe Morris (trumpet) and Milt Buckner (piano). Tony Bennett said of Washington during a recording session with Amy Winehouse: She was a good friend of mine, you know. It is not known for sure. People who knew her knew that she could be up the whole night until 8 am and then record at 10 am. She took sleeping pills to quiet her restless mind and get some sleep, and she was fond of drinking brandy when she wasnt recording. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? I mean, this is Dinahs hometown. In her heart, Washington knew that her marriage would not last. Ill never forget what she gave me that Christmasa chinchilla stole., To a lot of people, Dinah Washingtons a star, says Dukes, but to me shes my generous big sister. Leah therefore prayed to God on behalf of her sister, entreating Him: Turn what is in my womb into a female, and do not prevent my sister from bearing a son. God accepted her prayer and the fetus in her womb was transformed into a girl. She also sang in the local churchs gospel choir, which gained her a tidy fan base. When Broadway sensation Carol Channing was 16, her mother let her in on a secret: Channings paternal grandmother was Black. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. But when she sang, nothing else mattered. Instead of sounding at all sad, she laughed and told the paper about her new boyfriend. man named Rusty Maillard for a characteristically short period of time. All we know about Washingtons next husband is that he was a cabdriver. I had no Latin friends, she said. C.L. Just three months after getting hitched, Young left to join the army and the young couples divorce came through soon after. He also claimed to have renamed her "Dinah Washington." So did talent manager Joe Glaser and Chicago club owner Joe Sherman. Statements that are not Scripturally dependent and that pertain to ethics, traditions and actions of the Rabbis; the non-legal (non-, Matriarchs: A Liturgical and Theological Category, Biblical Women in World and Hebrew Literature, Modesty and Sexuality in Halakhic Literature, Creation According to Eve: Beyond Genesis 3, Wife of Manoach; Samson's Mother: Midrash and Aggadah, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. [Part 3]", "1940s musicians laid the cornerstone for rock 'n' roll", "Experience The Music: One Hit Wonders and The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum", "Tuscaloosa unveils Dinah Washington Avenue", "Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center ready for its debut in downtown Tuscaloosa", Queen: The Life and Music of Dinah Washington, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dinah_Washington&oldid=1152600926. When he was in Bethel, during his flight from Laban, he vowed that if God favored him, he would return to Bethel and there erect an altar to the Lord (Gen. 28: 2022). What Do We Know about Jacob's Daughter Dinah? - Christianity.com In her early twenties, this career gal realized that she was pregnant. She really wanted us there. The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia)Torah, the Rabbis assert that a twin was born together with Dinah, and she was one of the seventy souls who came with Jacob (BT Bava Batra 123a). Unfortunately, that didnt change with her fourth, fifth, and her sixth trips down the aisle either. As a sign of her new persona, Washington also got a makeover. Eugene Smith says, Ill tell you thisthe woman, E. Faye Butler, who played Dinah, she was outstanding. Sadly, Washingtons newfound happiness would not last for long. Shaul may be Dinah and Born in . Dinah: Midrash and Aggadah | Jewish Women's Archive She wanted to find someone she could connect with, away from the world glitz and glamor. Washington believed in living big and taking risks. From 1943 to 1946 she sang with the Lionel Hampton band and in 1946 began a successful solo career. Three of her recordings also made it to the Grammy Hall of Fame. While that film chronicles the plight of a young mixed-race woman who passes for white, Gavins mixed-race background is never referenced in that film or in others, despite his dark hair and swarthy skin. The rabbis also state that Dinah went down to Egypt with Jacob, and they name various potential husbands for Dinah. She was constantly performing and recording songs because, lest we forget, she had two young sons to provide for. She drew a crowd. Especially at Christmasthat was her favorite holiday., Smith was a bigger fan of Dinah Washingtons music than Dukes was. Rachel, who was barren, asked Leah to sell them to her, in return for forgoing her right to be with Jacob that night. Shore had black ancestry was started by a vengeful peer, but there is no overt, factual documentation of either African ancestry, that Ms. in English, Comparative Literature, and American Studies, Occidental College. Let us know. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. At first, her man John Young promised to help Washington find work and pursue her dreams. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. Why was Dinah Washington Important? - Stwnews.org Everyone needs a companion, and Washington was no different. The Ku Klux Klan was gaining influence in the south, and the Jones family werent going to sit around and wait for a tragedy to happen. The Rabbis state that Leah was actually pregnant with a son; when Rachel saw that her sister was pregnant, she prayed, resulting in a change of the embryos gender (JT Berakhot 9:3, 14a). The Episode of Dinah and Shechem Son of Hamor. Washington married yet another (!) Gavin served as ambassador until 1986. Since they risked their lives for her, the Torah (Gen. 34:25) calls them, specifically, Simeon and Levi, brothers of Dinah (Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, Masekhta de-Shirah, Beshalah 10). She spoiled us. Unforgettable - Dinah Washington album - was created in 1991. "You taught me every song I'm . In other words, our girl was undeniably beautiful, so trust me when I said that men couldnt resist herfor better or for worse. Dinah Washington, original name Ruth Lee Jones, (born August 29, 1924, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S.died December 14, 1963, Detroit, Michigan), American jazz and blues singer noted for her excellent voice control and unique gospel-influenced delivery. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. But I loved Dinahs voice. What was his sin? Gone was the gospel choirgirl. The couple had watched television together on the night of the 15th, and Lane dozed off for a few hours only to wake up and make a heartbreaking discovery. Success changed Washington. Much to her mothers dismay, Washington left her education behind when she was just 15 years old. After all, the wedding helped solve one of Washingtons biggest problems: Her son was now a legitimate child. Though her father had a steady job that paid the bills, the family faced hard times. If a stars around, you dont ever sing the stars songs. But youre not laying around here doing nothing. Dinah never finished school, and that bothered my mother. In the years that followed, the sisters moved on with their lives and careers. In contrast to these approaches, another conception stresses Dinahs responsibility for her conduct and the consequences of her actions. Known for being a gay rights advocate, Channing didnt reveal her African American ancestry to the world until 2002, when she released her memoir, "Just Lucky I Guess," at the age of 81. Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Dan Machnik.