Biography
3 February 1933, Harlem, New York, USA, d. 4 October 1993, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Dillard was known for several hits of poppish R&B in a style very reminiscent of Ruth Brown. As the result of a bone deficiency she spent most of her childhood years in a hospital, where she discovered singing as a therapy. Encouraged and inspired by Carl Feaster, lead singer with the Chords, Dillard began entering talent shows, which led to two consecutive wins at the Apollo’s amateur show. Signed to Savoy Records in 1951, she made her own records and duetted with H-Bomb Ferguson, enjoying success with ‘Easy, Easy Baby’ (number 8 R&B) in 1952, ‘Mercy Mr. Percy’ (number 6 R&B) in 1953, and after Johnny Ace’s untimely demise, ‘Johnny Has Gone’ (number 6 R&B) in 1955. In 1956 Dillard switched to the RCA Records subsidiary label Groove, where, much to her distaste, she was coerced into capitalizing on James Dean’s death with...
Read the Full Biography of Varetta Dillard
|
|
