Hits And Classics - The Singles Collection 1944-62

Dinah Washington was one of the most popular and successful female singers of the post-war decades, her immaculate vocal style and phrasing enabling her to encompass blues, R&B, jazz, big band and sophisticated pop with ease, and had her life not been cut short in 1963 at the age of 39, she would undoubtedly have had a lengthy career as an album artist. As it was, she was consistently successful with her single releases, racking up 60 hits across the US pop and R&B charts. This 108-track 4-CD collection comprises selected A & B sides of her releases on the Keynote, Decca, Apollo and Mercury labels from this era, with at least one side of most of her records included. It features 58 of her hits, including the R&B No.1s “Am I Asking Too Much”, “Baby Get Lost” and “This Bitter Earth”, and numerous Top 5 hits including “What A Difference A Day Makes”, “It’s Too Soon To Know”, “September In The Rain”, “Teach Me Tonight” and the Top 5 duet hits with Brook Benton “Baby (You've Got What It Takes)” and “A Rockin' Good Way”. It features performances with some of the top orchestras of the day, including the sextets of Lionel Hampton and Leonard Feather, and with Lucky Thompson’s All Stars, plus the orchestras of Quincy Jones, Hal Mooney, Belford Hendricks, Ike Carpenter and more. It’s a substantial and varied showcase for one of the great singers of our era.