Top Picks: Sarah Vaughan

Sometimes referred to as "Sassy" or "The Divine One," Sarah Vaughan had a majestic and lustrous voice that Chicago radio host Dave Garroway described as "honey being poured into a pan."

Sarah Lois Vaughan, whose 95th birth anniversary is March 27, won four Grammys, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was honored with a George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement.  

Singing with Charlie Parker, Billy Eckstine and Dizzy Gillespie in the Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine bands in the early 1940s, Vaughan established herself as a serious jazz singer. Her style was formed by her early association with bebop.

Music CDs

Ultimate Sarah Vaughan: Newcomers will enjoy this one for hits like "Summertime" and "Misty."

Sarah Vaughan's Finest Hour: This introduction to Vaughan's work shows off her range, from bebop style "Shulie a Bop" to the emotional "Lush Life."

The Complete Sarah Vaughan on Mercury: Check out the first in a four-volume compilation to immerse yourself Vaughan's amazing work.

Books and DVDs

Queen of Bebop: Named a Booklist Top Ten Arts Book, this 2017 biography chronicles both the professional (tours, recordings, musical style and influences) and the personal.

Sassy: Booklist called this first full-length biography of Vaughan a "frank and animated portrait."

Sarah Vaughan and Great Women Singers of the 20th Century: Sarah Vaughan: See "The Divine One" on screen with these DVD biographies.