Lena Horne, the enchanting jazz singer and actress, dies at 92.
Lena Horne died, late Sunday night at New York- Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, in Manhattan. Her death was announced by her son-in-law, Kevin Buckley. What a sad way, to end Mother’s Day!
In the 1940’s Lena Horne, was one of the first black performers hired to sing with a major white band, the first to play at the Copacabana and among a handful with a Hollywood contract.
In 1943, MGM Studios loaned Lena Horne to 20th Century-Fox to play the role of Selina Rogers in the all-black movie musical “Stormy Weather”, (which just so happens to be one of my favorite Lena Horne movies, the other “Cabin in the Sky”, if you haven't seen them, then you need to check them out!) her rendition of the title song became a major hit and her signature piece.
On screen, on records, in nightclubs and in concert halls, Lena Horne always felt right at home, but throughout her career, Ms. Horne always felt perpetually frustrated with public humiliation of racism. Lena Horne, embraced activism, breaking loose as a voice for civil rights and as an artist. In the last decades of her life, she rode the new wave of popularity as a revered icon of American popular music. She opened doors and broke down barriers for the African American Community and she will truly be missed!
Talk about Iconic, Sultry, and Chic! Lena Horne is a legend in the world of acting and singing!
RIP Lena Horne
"I don't have to be an imitation of the white woman that Hollywood hoped I'd become. I'm me and I'm like nobody else". ~ Lena Horne
"Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death". ~ Lena Horne
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