Fontella Bass

Fontella Bass ( born July 3, 1940 in St. Louis, Missouri, † December 26, 2012 ibid ) was an American R & B and soul singer, pianist and composer. Her most famous hit is Rescue Me from the year 1965. It is often compared to Aretha Franklin.

Biography

The daughter of gospel singer Martha Bass (of the Clara Ward Singers) sang in the church choir at age six. In high school, she began to participate in R & B singing competitions. In 1961 she worked at local shows, played the piano and sang in the choir. She accompanied the blues singer Little Milton in his recordings of the piano. Finally, enabled her to Bob Lyons from the local radio station KATZ own recordings for the label Bobbin Records.

The mid 1960s moved Bass to Chicago, where she received a contract with Chess Records. With Bobby McClure took on some duets. Do not Mess Up a Good Thing reached the beginning of 1965, the top group of the R & B charts and # 33 on the pop charts. In the summer, followed 'll Miss Me ( When I'm Gone ), which is not quite as high but could place.

In the fall of 1965 Rescue Me appeared and stormed to the top of the R & B charts; in the pop charts of the title peaked at # 4 in the UK, the title reached number 11 After a few more hits and the album The New Look left Bass 1967 Chess Records.

In 1970 she took with the Art Ensemble of Chicago on two albums, Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass and Les Stances à Sophie, the latter is the soundtrack of the French film of the same name (1971 ) by Moshé Mizrahi. She married the trumpet player of the ensemble, the co-initiator of the AACM and jazz Avant -garde Lester Bowie.

After her second solo album Free in 1972 had no commercial success, bass drew largely withdrew from the music business and moved their children. Occasionally she sang in the choir in recordings of other artists. After their retreat, they seemed even with two albums with Lester Bowie, at The Great Pretender (1981) and All the Magic ( 1982). She also had a guest appearance on the album Breath of Life of the World Saxophone Quartet.In the 1990s they had a short time his own radio show and recorded some gospel soul records. Produced by Wayne Horvitz your album No Ways Tired ( Elektra / Nonesuch ) was nominated for a Grammy.

After the millennium, Bass participated in recordings of the Cinematic Orchestra: In 2002, she sang two tracks on the album Every Day, 2007, two more on the album Ma Fleur. She died in December 2012, having previously suffered a heart attack three weeks.

Fontella Bass was the sister of the deceased in February 2012, gospel and R & B singer David Peaston

Awards

Fontella Bass is represented on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. In 2001 she received the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.

Discography

Singles

Albums ( selection)

• The New Look ( 1966)
• Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass (1970 )
• Art Ensemble of Chicago Les Stances à Sophie ( 1970)
• Free ( 1972)
• Martha Bass / Fontella Bass / David Peaston From the Root to the Source (1980 )
• Rescued: The Best of Fontella Bass ( Compilation earlier recordings)
• No Ways Tired (1995, with Lester Brown, David Sanborn, Harvey Brooks and others)
• Now That I Found a Good Thing ( 1996)
• Fontella Bass & The Voices Of St. Louis Travelin ' (2001)