Donna Hightower

Donna Hightower ( born December 28, 1926 in Cathersville, Missouri; † August 19, 2013 in Austin, Texas ) was an American singer of jazz and pop music. Career highlight was probably her hit song " This World Today is a Mess " from the year 1971. 1974 they also had a guest appearance in his time major ZDF television series The Commissioner.

Life and work

Hightower grew up in Los Angeles and was influenced by gospel music before she turned to jazz under the influence of Dinah Washington. From the marriage with a soldier she has two children. After the divorce, she worked as a cook in Chicago, where it was discovered in 1951 by chance, sang with Horace Henderson and recorded with " I Is not in the Mood ," their first single (as Rhythm & blues number ). In 1955 she appeared at the Apollo Theater in New York City and went with BB King and Johnny Guitar Watson on Southern Tour. In 1958 she recorded her first album " Take One ". The next year she moved because of poor performance opportunities to Europe, where she first worked from London. She sang with Ted Heath, then in Paris with Quincy Jones and the Platters, performed at festivals and toured with Johnny Halliday and took on a French version of "My Boy Lollipop " which was a hit in Canada. She made guest appearances in other European countries and has performed with the band of Heinz von Hermann, before she moved to Madrid, where she remained until 1969, and in the jazz clubs, Tete Montoliu and about with Rudi Fuesers worked.

From 1970, she turned to more pop music, also sang in Spanish ( single " Soy feliz " ') and entered shortly afterwards with Daniel Danny Danny y Donna on to jointly " El vals de las mariposas ' " to include, in the Spain became a hit. With " This World Today is a Mess " (1971, 2 gold records ), " Here I Am ' " (1973) and " I'm in Love with Love" (1974 ) she was also an international success. In 1974 she made ​​a guest appearance in the 76th episode ( Opportunists ) of German TV crime series The Commissioner. In 1991, she returned to the United States, where she worked as a fundraiser. More pictures were taken with the Monster Big Band. In 2006, she appeared at the festival " Via Jazz" in Madrid.

In 2008, she took along with Sonny J on the song " Handsfree ( If You Hold My Hand )", which appeared on the album Disastro. The single reached number # 77 in the UK Top 40