Esther Phillips

Esther Mae Jones, known as Esther Phillips (and earlier as Little Esther), was a vocalist of extraordinary range and emotional depth who scored her first hit at age 14 with 'Double Crossing Blues' for Savoy Records in 1950. Her career encompassed R&B, blues, country, jazz, and disco, and her 1962 recording of the country song 'Release Me' was a Top 10 pop hit that demonstrated her remarkable versatility. Her later recordings for Kudu/CTI in the 1970s, including the acclaimed 'From a Whisper to a Scream,' showcased a mature, jazz-influenced vocalist. Heroin addiction plagued much of her career, and she died of liver and kidney failure at 48.