Betty
Carter (born Lillie Mae Jones; May 19, 1929 – September 26, 1998) was an
American jazz singer known for her improvisational technique, scatting and
other complex musical abilities that demonstrated her vocal talent and
imaginative interpretation of lyrics and melodies. Vocalist Carmen McRae once
remarked: "There's really only one jazz singer—only one: Betty
Carter."
Carter
often recruited young accompanists for performances and recordings, insisting
that she "learned a lot from these young players, because they're raw and
they come up with things that I would never think about doing."
Betty
Carter is considered responsible for discovering great jazz talent, her
discoveries including John Hicks, Curtis Lundy, Mulgrew Miller, Cyrus Chestnut,
Dave Holland, Stephen Scott, Kenny Washington, Benny Green and more.