I was thrilled to hear that vocalist Jimmy Scott has been awarded the 2007 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Fellowship. This is the vocalist, the only one, that Billie Holiday said she admired--and once you hear Jimmy sing, you'll know why. His voice is gentle, haunting, and gets the story of the song across in just a few notes. If you've never heard this man sing "Slave to Love" or "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," you're missing a lot. This mesmerizing crooner, with an almost 60-year career in music, should have been honored with such an award decades ago. His stints as a janitor, hotel shipping clerk, and caretaker for his father, make him one of the most tenacious and deserved musicians around. He was determined to sing, even after facing periods of great adversity.
Congratulations and thank you Jimmy Scott! Your songs have served as lullabies for me and my little girl.
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