Search results
Her husky, sensual voice and exquisitely cool readings of pop standards distinguished her singing, but Lee Wiley went on to earn notice as one of the best early jazz singers by recognizing the distinct qualities of American popular song and organizing a set of songs around a common composer or theme -- later popularized as the songbook or concept LP.
Lee Wiley effectively stepped out of the limelight in the 1960's, except for a brief appearance at the 1972 New York Jazz Festival. She died of colon cancer, aged 67. A unique talent, she merited greater fame than was accorded her in her lifetime and since. Born October 9, 1908. Died December 11, 1975 (67)
Lee was a popular singer jazz active from the early 1930s up to 1972 when she withdrew from the musical scene. Wiley began her radio career at KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She sang on the Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt program on NBC in 1932, and was featured on Victor Young's radio show in 1933. From June 10, 1936, until September 2, 1936, she had her own ...
WILEY, LEE (1908–1975). Born in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, on October 9, 1908, Lee Wiley began her jazz career in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she studied music and sang on local radio. In 1930, as a teenager, she migrated to New York City and began singing with Leo Reisman's orchestra at the Central Park Casino. Wiley's career peaked in the mid-1930s ...
Sep 28, 2018 · Lee Wiley was born October 9, 1908, in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. While still in grade school, she aspired to be a singer. While still in grade school, she aspired to be a singer. Into her teens, she would seek out recordings by Bessie Smith , Clara Smith, and Ethel Waters, often venturing into shops in black neighborhoods to hear them.
Lee Wiley (1908-1975), was a Jazz Vocal Singer who sang American Songbook songs in the 1930s and 1950s. She is sometimes called “A Jazz Singer’s Singer” by hardcore Jazz fans. She was the first artist to record a “songbook”, a collection of songs where each song is written by one composer. Manhattan was her “signature song”.
A MUSICAL SCRAPBOOK ABOUT LEE WILEY during a five-night engagement at The Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd St. between 5th & 6th Aves.) from November 1-5, 2007. This musical tribute features songs from Wiley's repertoire, anecdotes and dramatic scenarios about her life - both onstage and off - and personal reminiscences from Walden, Kleinbort ...
