Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes
Explore the life, artistry, and legacy of Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990), one of the greatest jazz vocalists ever. Learn about her early years, career milestones, signature style, famous quotes, and enduring influence.
Introduction
Sarah Vaughan, born Sarah Lois Vaughan, remains one of the towering voices of American jazz. With a voice of astonishing range, richness, and flexibility, she traversed genres from bebop to ballads, pop to Brazilian jazz. Known by nicknames such as “Sassy,” “The Divine One,” and sometimes “Queen of Bebop,” her artistry continues to inspire singers and listeners worldwide. Her life is as much a story of musical evolution as it is of strength, expression, and innovation in a time of great change in American music.
Early Life and Family
Sarah Vaughan was born on March 27, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. Asbury “Jake” Vaughan, a carpenter who also played guitar and piano, and Ada Vaughan, a laundress who sang in the church choir.
Her family was deeply involved in church life, particularly the New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Newark, where she sang as a child and occasionally accompanied rehearsals and services. Her musical curiosity and talent were nurtured in that church environment and through exposure to recordings and live performances around Newark.
Vaughan grew up listening to bands and jazz performances. She sneaked into clubs in her teenage years, playing piano and sometimes singing under the radar, even before finishing formal education. Her early ambitions were clear: she wanted to sing and express her musical self, often traversing the barriers placed on a young Black woman in mid-20th century America.
Youth and Musical Beginnings
As Vaughan entered her late teens, she began taking bolder steps in pursuing music. In 1942, at age 18, she participated in an amateur contest at the famed Apollo Theater in New York City. She initially accompanied a friend, but later returned and sang "Body and Soul", earning the cash prize ($10) and a week’s engagement at the Apollo as part of her reward.
Shortly after, she joined the Earl Hines Orchestra in 1943, touring and performing with great jazz talents. In some accounts, she was initially brought on as a pianist so union rules would permit it, then transitioned fully into a vocalist role.
In 1945, she began carving out a solo path, performing in New York jazz clubs on 52nd Street and other venues, recording for small labels, and gradually building her reputation.
Career and Achievements
Rise to Stardom: Recording & Performance
From the late 1940s through the 1950s, Sarah Vaughan became a major presence in both jazz and popular music. She signed with Columbia Records, where she recorded a mix of jazz-inflected standards and more commercial material. “Black Coffee.”
Later, she moved to Mercury Records, working with both commercial and jazz-oriented material (via its subsidiary, EmArcy). This period produced some of her finest recordings, balancing artistic integrity with accessibility. Clifford Brown, Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown, is considered one of her artistic peak recordings and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
She also explored and embraced international and cross-genre collaborations. In 1972, she recorded Sarah Vaughan with Michel Legrand, an album arranged by composer Michel Legrand. Brazilian Romance.
Recognition & Honors
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Throughout her career, Vaughan was nominated for numerous Grammy Awards.
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She ultimately won Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award.
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In 1989 she was named an NEA Jazz Master, one of the highest honors in American jazz.
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Her voice has often been described by critics as among the most wondrous and expressive in 20th century music.
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Posthumously, her influence and legacy continue — for example, the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition (sometimes called the “SASSY Awards”) is held in her honor.
Historical & Social Context
Sarah Vaughan’s career unfolded in a complex era for American music and society. She rose to prominence during the 1940s, 1950s, and beyond — decades in which jazz evolved rapidly (bebop, cool jazz, modal jazz), and in which racial, social, and industry dynamics posed particular challenges for Black artists.
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She succeeded at a time when jazz was both an art form and a popular medium, navigating pressures to record commercially viable material while preserving her artistic identity.
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As a Black female singer, she confronted both racial and gendered constraints. Her assertiveness, musical vision, and refusal to be pigeonholed helped carve more space for women and Black artists in jazz and popular music.
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Her stylistic agility — shifting between jazz, pop, ballads, and international styles — mirrors broader mid-20th-century musical cross-pollination and globalization of American music.
Personality, Style & Voice
What sets Sarah Vaughan apart among vocalists is not just her technical command, but the emotional depth, flexibility, and inventiveness she brought to performance.
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Vocal range & control: She possessed an unusually wide range (from low registers to a flexible upper register), with superb control over dynamics, tone color, vibrato, and phrasing.
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Phrasing & improvisation: She could treat melodies like jazz instrumentalists—stretching, bending, embellishing, reharmonizing, and adding her own interpretive flair.
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Versatility: Though often labeled a “jazz singer,” she herself resisted narrow categorization, saying she wanted to sing “all kinds of music” rather than be strictly confined to jazz.
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Emotional presence: Her performances conveyed nuance, weight, spontaneity, and sincerity. She could shift from intimate ballads to bold, swinging numbers with apparent ease.
Her persona was dignified yet expressive, “Sassy” in spirit but grounded in profound musical integrity.
Famous Quotes of Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan left behind many remarks that reveal her self-perception, creative philosophy, and candid attitudes. Here are some notable ones (with sources):
“I like to be referred to as a good singer of good songs in good taste.”
“When I sing, trouble can sit right on my shoulder and I don't even notice.”
“They always ask me the same questions. Where was I born? When did I start singing? Who have I worked with? I don't understand why they can't just talk to me without all that question bit.”
“Judy Garland was the singer I most wanted to sound like then, not to copy, but to get some of her soul and purity. A wonderful young voice.”
“My dream is to do whatever I want without any interference from the record company.”
“I just sing. I don't know what I sound like or who I sound like. I don't know what kind of singer I am. I just open my mouth and sing.”
“I don't feel like a big star.”
These quotes reflect her grounded nature, devotion to her craft, and resistance to being boxed into simplistic labels.
Lessons from Sarah Vaughan
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Artistic integrity over pigeonholing
Vaughan refused to be boxed into a single genre label. She believed in following her musical instincts and embracing diverse styles. -
Voice as instrument, with emotion
Her mastery of phrasing, tone, improvisation, and nuance reminds us that the human voice can be as expressive and dynamic as any instrument when treated with care. -
Persistence and evolution
From small performances and club gigs to international acclaim, she continually grew, adapted, and remained creative across decades. -
Humility and self-awareness
Even while praised, she often expressed uncertainty about how she sounded or how to categorize herself. That humility coexisted with greatness. -
Legacy through influence
Her impact is not just in her recordings, but in how many vocalists cite her as inspiration, and how competitions, tributes, and scholarship honor her memory.
Conclusion
Sarah Vaughan’s life stands as a testament to the power of voice, belief, and artistic freedom. Her sound was singular, her interpretations timeless, and her influence deep. She gave voice to jazz’s complexities, to emotional subtlety, and to a vision of music without boundaries.