Bessie Griffin facts for kids
Bessie Griffin (born Arlette B. Broil; July 6, 1922 – April 10, 1989) was an amazing American gospel singer. She started singing in junior high school. Later, she performed with groups like the Southern Harps and The Caravans. A famous singer named Mahalia Jackson helped her a lot. Bessie moved to Chicago and then to Los Angeles. She sang in theaters and on popular TV shows. These included The Ed Sullivan Show and The Dinah Shore Show.
Contents
Bessie Griffin's Early Life
Arlette B. Broil was born on July 6, 1922. Her hometown was New Orleans, Louisiana. Her parents were Victoria and Enoch Broil. Sadly, her mother passed away when Bessie was only five years old. Her "grandmother" Lucy Narcisse raised her. Lucy was actually her mother's cousin. She was also related to the singer Louis H. Narcisse. The family was very religious and went to church many times each Sunday.
Bessie went to public school. She graduated from McDonogh Number 35 Senior High School. She did not have formal voice lessons. Her grandmother taught her to sing when she was about five.
Bessie Griffin's Music Journey
Bessie started singing with a gospel group in junior high. They were called the Southern Harps. This all-girl group sang without instruments. They toured around the South. In 1947, they recorded some songs for King Records. The next year, they recorded more songs. This time, they were known as the Southern Revivalists Of New Orleans. Bessie also recorded solo songs.
In 1951, Bessie met Mahalia Jackson. Mahalia was a very famous gospel singer. Mahalia invited Bessie to sing at a big gospel show in Chicago. Bessie sang two songs for over 40,000 people. They loved her performance.
In 1953, Bessie joined The Caravans. This was another gospel group led by Albertina Walker. She recorded nine songs with them. But she left the group because she needed to earn more money. Bessie moved to Chicago and sang in churches. She also toured with W. Herbert Brewster, Jr.
In 1958, Bessie moved to Los Angeles. She signed with Specialty Records. The next year, she started her own group. It was called the "Gospel Pearls." She also worked on a gospel musical. It was called Portraits In Bronze. This musical was based on a book by Langston Hughes. She toured the show in different cities.
Bessie Griffin's Voice and Performances
Many people loved Bessie Griffin's voice. A music critic said her voice was like Bessie Smith and Mahalia Jackson. He said she had a wide vocal range. He also noted her clear singing and deep spiritual feeling.
After touring with Portraits In Bronze, Bessie recorded more albums. She sang gospel songs in night clubs in the 1960s. She also appeared on television. She performed at Disneyland and on The Ed Sullivan Show. She also appeared in a special with Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra.
Bessie recorded several solo albums. She also recorded an album with her group, the Gospel Pearls. She faced some health challenges. This sometimes stopped her from performing. In 1974, she acted in a movie called Together Brothers. It was a thriller filmed in Galveston, Texas. The music for the movie was by Barry White.
Later, some of her recordings were used in new songs. For example, her singing was used in a 1996 dance track. It was called "I Know The Lord" by The Tabernacle. Another song called "Bessie" also used her voice. Bessie continued to tour at festivals and churches when she felt well enough.
Bessie Griffin's Legacy
Bessie Griffin passed away on April 10, 1989. She is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Her most famous songs include Come Ye Disconsolate and It's Real. Her powerful voice and spiritual singing left a lasting mark on gospel music.
Selected Works
- 1972, The Gospel Sound, Vol. 2. Columbia Records #31595
- 1986, Black Gospel Singing: A Capella Gospel Singing (The Golden Age of Gospel Singing 1936-1954). Folklyric Records #9045
- 1994, Women Of Gospel's Golden Age, Vol 1. Specialty Records #567
- 1995, Great Gospel Women, Vol.2. Shanachie Records #6017
- 1996, All of My Appointed Time: Forty Years of A Cappella Gospel Singing. Mojo Records #308
