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Dorothy Donegan's command of the piano was nothing short of breathtaking. As a performer, Donegan was known for her antics -- and a flamboyance that often got her into trouble. |
Dorothy Donegan was born on April 6, 1922, in Chicago, Ill. Encouraged by her mother, young Dorothy began piano lessons when she was five. During her youth, she played organ at her church and by age 14, she was playing at Chicago's South Side bars.
In 1942, Donegan recorded her first album for Bluebird records, featuring blues and boogie-woogie tunes. But Donegan aspired to be a classical concert pianist, so she spent the next several years at the Chicago Conservatory and the Chicago Musical College. In 1943, she became the first African-American performer to give a concert at the famed Orchestra Hall in Chicago.
Art Tatum was one of Donegan's early admirers, and his playing had perhaps the greatest influence on her style. After a very brief stint in Hollywood, Donegan spent much of the 1950's working jazz clubs and developing her flamboyant stage act. Donegan was known for telling off color jokes, parodying other musicians, and acting out the words to the songs she sang during her stage show.
Donegan continued to play in clubs and festivals until diabetes and cancer made playing too difficult. She eventually died of colon cancer, in 1998.
Set List for Dorothy Donegan on Piano Jazz:"Stormy Weather" (Arlen, Koehler)
"Darn That Dream" (Van Heusen, DeLange)
"Lullaby of Birdland" (Shearing, Forster)
"Shadow of Your Smile" (Mandel, Webster)
"Just in Time" (Styne, Comden, Green)
"I Can't Get Started" (Duke, Gershwin)
"Sweet Lorraine" (Burwell, Parish)
"The Lady Is A Tramp" (Rodgers, Hart)
"It's the Talk of The Town" (Neiburg, Symes, Livingston)
"Rosetta" (Hines, Woode)
"Little Rock Getaway" (Joe Sullivan)
Dorothy Donegan at NEA Jazz Masters
In 1942, Donegan recorded her first album for Bluebird records, featuring blues and boogie-woogie tunes. But Donegan aspired to be a classical concert pianist, so she spent the next several years at the Chicago Conservatory and the Chicago Musical College. In 1943, she became the first African-American performer to give a concert at the famed Orchestra Hall in Chicago.
Art Tatum was one of Donegan's early admirers, and his playing had perhaps the greatest influence on her style. After a very brief stint in Hollywood, Donegan spent much of the 1950's working jazz clubs and developing her flamboyant stage act. Donegan was known for telling off color jokes, parodying other musicians, and acting out the words to the songs she sang during her stage show.
Donegan continued to play in clubs and festivals until diabetes and cancer made playing too difficult. She eventually died of colon cancer, in 1998.
Set List for Dorothy Donegan on Piano Jazz:
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