Jean DuShon

Jean DuShon was born in Detroit, Michigan and has enjoyed a fabulous career in show business. As a young girl, she sang in church and dreamed of the day that she'd become a professional singer. After winning many talent shows, she suddenly found herself singing in local nightclubs and gained a reputation as "the girl who sounds like Dinah Washington." Miss Washington, herself, heard about the singer, who was already headlining at the Baby Grand and Flame Showbar, and decided to confront the youngster.

DuShon was so frightened after the Washington encounter, that she immediately found her own style, which was distinctive and true to her own personality.

As her notoriety grew, John Levy, the famed agent who managed the likes of Nancy Wilson, Dakota Staton, George Shearing, Cannonball Adderly and many others, added Jean to his roster of stars. She was booked into swank clubs around the country and was suddenly being mentioned along side the other great female jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Carmen McRae.

After Levy left Chicago for California, with Wilson in tow, DuShon's husband became her manager. Jean sang as star vocalist with Cootie Williams Band, had a short stint with Lloyd Price's group and was asked to join the legendary Fats Domino, who took her to Las Vegas where they shared the bill at the famed Flamingo Hotel.

While appearing at the Roundtable in New York, Jean was spotted by Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records. He was so impressed with DuShon that he took her to his company and paired her with the young Phil Spector. Spector guided DuShon through several recordings including a rehash of Little Willie John's "Talk To Me."

DuShon recorded for several labels including Okeh (Columbia), Lenox, ABC Paramount and finally settled at Chess Records out of Chicago, where she recorded three albums: "Make Way For Jean DuShon," "You Better Believe Me" (with Ramsey Lewis Trio) and "Feeling Good," which was arranged and conducted by the legendary Oliver Nelson. It is not well-known, but Jean DuShon was the very first singer to record the classic, "For Once in My Life."

Miss DuShon had countless lucrative engagements and appearances with many famous musicians such as Ray Charles at the Village Gate, Miles Davis at Birdland and at the New Jersey Jazz Festival with Count Basie and Joe Williams. She shared bills with a diversified group of performers including Etta James, Marvin Gaye, Big Maybelle, Smokey Robinson (Howard Theatre), Little Richard (Fillmore East), Big Mama Thornton (Apollo Theatre) and T. Bone Walker.

Miss DuShon found herself on the New York stage (off-Broadway) in several plays ("The Crystal Tree," "Helen of Troy," etc.) and then headed to Broadway where she starred in "What The Wine Selles Buy" with Dick Anthony Williams and Glynn Turman, "Bubbling Brown Sugar" (see picture above left) with Cab Calloway and "Blues in the Night" with Leslie Uggams. DuShon received glowing reviews for her performances and in "Blues," brought down the house singing Bessie Smith's tragic "Wasted Life Blues." "Blues in the Night" was nominated as Best Musical, but lost the Tony Award to "Cats." Later, she took over for Odetta in the Chicago musical, "Little Dreamer - A Night in the Life of Bessie Smith," which ran for over a year. While in Chicago, she starred in the PBS musical production called "Precious Memories - Strolling Down 47th Street."

Jean found time to record with Brother Jack McDuff in the 1970s ("The Fourth Dimension," "Moon Rappin'"). The diva has sung all over the planet, in the leading theatres of Europe to landmarks like New York's Philharmonic Hall and the famed Blue Note jazz club.

Presently, Miss DuShon is preparing a one-woman show, which she plans to take on the road and hopefully, present the show on Broadway. Jean lives in NYC and can be reached at oliverpenn@earthlink.net.