Dinah Washington

Ruth Lee Jones, known as Dinah Washington, was the 'Queen of the Blues' in the late 1940s and 1950s, a vocalist of extraordinary range and precision who could sing blues, jazz, pop, and R&B with equal command. She began as a gospel singer in Chicago churches before joining Lionel Hampton's band and signing with Mercury Records, where she became one of the label's biggest stars. Her recordings 'What a Diff'rence a Day Makes,' 'Unforgettable,' and dozens of blues-inflected sides for Mercury demonstrated a crystalline diction, impeccable time, and emotional depth that influenced Esther Phillips, Nancy Wilson, and Amy Winehouse. She died of an accidental overdose of diet pills and alcohol at age 39.