Ledisi - For Dinah

 

Ledisi — For Dinah 

A tribute to her musical hero, Dinah Washington!

Powerhouse vocalist and Grammy-winner Ledisi honors her musical hero Dinah Washington on For Dinah, a soulful tribute to the legendary Queen Of The Blues.

Produced by bassist, composer and nine-time Grammy winner Christian McBride, the album features Ledisi's soulful interpretations of Washington's classics and includes a duet with Gregory Porter. Ledisi views Washington as a hero and a trailblazer for women in music, stating that For Dinah is her way of honoring Washington's impact and ensuring her legacy is recognized today.

The album blends Washington's signature swing and sass with Ledisis own deeply personal, genre-spanning voice.

"She gave me permission to move freely, create freely, and be seen," says Ledisi, who studied jazz before rising to the top of the R&B world. Washington (1924-1963) was one of the 20th century's most important and influential singers. Among her most devoted disciples was a gospel singer from Detroit named Aretha Franklin. But whereas Franklin is a household name and cultural icon, Washington, despite being wildly popular in her heyday, is tragically overlooked by the general public.

For Dinah aims to correct that. Featuring powerful reinterpretations of classics such as "Caravan" and "This Bitter Earth," and guest appearances by Gregory Porter, guitarist Paul Jackson Jr., and rising pianist Michael King, the album is more than a musical tribute. The project is a thank-you letter across generations to an innovator who was bold, feminine, and unapologetically Black.

"This is my way of saying her name out loud," Ledisi says. "She deserves to be heard."

Side A

1. What A Difference A Day Made

2. If I Never Get To Heaven

3. Caravan

4. Let’s Do It

Side B

1. You Don’t Know What Love Is featuring Christian McBride

2. You’ve Got What It Takes featuring Gregory Porter

3. You Go To My Head featuring Paul Jackson, Jr.

4. The Bitter Earth

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