Madison Lewis, guest blogger
Original article by Madison Lewis; Posted by Kim
Today would have been Lena Horne’s 95th birthday if she had lived. Horne was one of my dad’s favorite singers and dancers.
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an american singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer. Lena joined the chorus at the Cotton Club at the tender age of sixteen. She began singing with orchestras, and, while singing with Charlie Barnet’s (white) orchestra, she was discovered. From there she began playing clubs in Greenwich Village and then performed at Carnegie Hall.
Beginning in 1942 Lena Horne appeared in films, broadening her career to include movies, Broadway and recordings. She has been honored with many awards for her lifetime of success. She had substantial roles in films such as, Cabin In The Sky and Stormy Weather.
Lena Horne was married to Louis J. Jones from 1937 to 1944; they had two
children. Later she was married to Lennie Hayton from 1947 to his death in 1971.
Lena Horne’s signature song, from a 1943 film of the same name, is “Stormy Weather.”
Lena Horne published her memoirs in 1950 as In Person and in 1965 as Lena.
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