Lena Horne Lena Horne artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music

Lena Horne

Subscribe to Breaking News Alerts

Lena Horne's work is undoubtedly a precursor to so many of the women that have achieved success today in jazz, blues and pop music. Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women

Forebears: The Endearing Grace Of Lena Horne

August 16, 2017 • Lena Horne's body of work is an early guide on how to simultaneously slay on stage, on screen and in the recording studio.

Lena Horne, circa the 1950s. AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

AFP/Getty Images

A Blog Supreme

Lena Horne: Of Race And Acceptance

May 10, 2010 • The late singer and actress, who died Sunday at 92, didn't choose to be racialized based on her genetic assignment. But she was. Remarkably, she ran with it, using it as a source of strength and pride and artistic inspiration.

Lena Horne, Singer And Actress, Dies At 92

Lena Horne (photographed in the 1950s) broke barriers for African-Americans in film and television, as well as on stage. Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Music News

Lena Horne, Singer And Actress, Dies At 92

May 10, 2010 • The legendary entertainer broke barriers for African-Americans in film and television, as well as on stages from Las Vegas to Broadway. Horne died Sunday in New York at the age of 92.

Lena Horne, Singer And Actress, Dies At 92

Listen · 4:17 4:17

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/126666993/126676821" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

All Their Loving: Jazz Covers The Beatles

courtesy of the artist

Take Five: A Jazz Sampler

All Their Loving: Jazz Covers The Beatles

September 9, 2009 • As the British Invasion changed the landscape of the music industry, jazz musicians had to adapt to popular music written by the bands themselves instead of hired songwriters.

Music Interviews

Lena Horne Turns 90

June 30, 2007 • Lena Horne — a pioneer of stage, film and music — turns 90 years old on Saturday. Hear a tribute to a woman who scaled racial barriers and carved paths for many of the black entertainers we know today.

Lena Horne Turns 90

Listen

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/11630595/11630598" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript