Cleo Laine English jazz singer and actress Date of Birth: 28.10.1927 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Cleo Laine
2. Early Life and Career
3. Rise to Fame
4. International Success
5. Later Career and Recognition
6. Personal Tragedy

Biography of Cleo Laine

Cleo Laine, an English jazz singer and actress, is known for her jazz improvisation, deep soulful notes, and vocal range spanning almost four octaves. Her main vocal timbre is contralto. Laine is the only performer to have received Grammy nominations in the categories of jazz, popular, and classical music. She is the widow of jazz composer Sir John Dankworth. Cleo Laine, whose real name is Clementina Dinah Bullock, was born on October 28, 1927, in Southall, Middlesex. Laine is the daughter of Alexander Campbell from Jamaica and Minnie, an Englishwoman from Swindon, Wiltshire.

Early Life and Career

At a young age, Laine began taking music and dance lessons. She worked as a hairdresser, librarian, and for a pawnbroker. In 1947, Cleo married George Langridge, a tile specialist, and they had a son named Stuart. The marriage ended in divorce in 1957. Laine pursued singing professionally at the age of around 25. She successfully auditioned and joined John Dankworth's group, with whom she performed until 1958. In the same year, after divorcing Langridge, she secretly married Dankworth. The couple had two children, Alec and Jacqui, who became successful musicians.

Rise to Fame

As Laine began her career as a singer and actress, she landed a leading role in a new play at the Royal Court Theatre in London. After her success, she was offered roles in other productions, including the musical "Valmouth" in 1959 and the play "A Time to Laugh" in 1962. During this period, Cleo recorded two major hits. Her album "You'll Answer to Me" reached the British Top 10, while as an actress, she shone in the play "The Seven Deadly Sins." In 1964, her album "Shakespeare and All that Jazz," recorded with Dankworth, was well-received by critics.

International Success

In 1972, Cleo embarked on her first successful tour of Australia, which catapulted her onto the international stage. This led to a thriving touring career, gaining her a legion of fans in the United States and Canada. Laine released several more albums and regularly appeared on television, including an appearance on "The Muppet Show" in 1977. She collaborated with renowned musicians such as James Galway, Julian Lloyd Webber, and John Williams. She recorded a duet album with Ray Charles and the album "Pierrot Lunaire" with Arnold Schoenberg, which earned her a Grammy nomination.

Later Career and Recognition

Continuing to conquer the stages of musical theater, Laine starred in Dankworth's new musical "Colette" in 1980. In 1983, she won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocalist. In the late 1990s, Cleo returned to Carnegie Hall to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her hit "Cleo - Live At Carnegie." Her performance was recorded and released as "Cleo Laine - Live In Manhattan." By this time, Laine was considered one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time, alongside Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Carmen McRae.

Personal Tragedy

John Dankworth passed away on February 6, 2010, just hours before a scheduled concert at the music venue "Stables" in Wavendon. Prior to his death, Laine's husband had been ill for several months, feeling unwell after touring in the USA. Despite her immense grief, Laine went on with the concert and only afterwards announced the personal tragedy. Her actions were widely covered on the front pages of newspapers worldwide, including "The Times."