Dee Dee Bridgewater facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dee Dee Bridgewater
Background information
Birth name	Denise Eileen Garrett
Born	(1950-05-27) May 27, 1950 (age 75) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Origin	Flint, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Jazz Smooth jazz R&B Soul
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress, record producer, songwriter, UN goodwill ambassador, radio host
Years active	1966–present
Labels	DDB Records, Sony Masterworks, OKeh Records, Verve, Elektra, MCA
Associated acts	Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Horace Silver, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, Billie Holiday, Theo Croker, China Moses, Ray Charles, Stanley Clarke, Sarah Vaughn, Max Roach, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock

Dee Dee Bridgewater, born Denise Garrett on May 27, 1950, is an amazing American jazz singer and actress. She has won three Grammy Awards for her music and a Tony Award for her acting on stage. For over 20 years, she hosted a popular radio show called JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater. She also works as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, helping fight world hunger.

Dee Dee Bridgewater's Early Life and Music Journey

Dee Dee Bridgewater was born Denise Eileen Garrett in Memphis, Tennessee. She grew up in Flint, Michigan. Her father, Matthew Garrett, was a jazz trumpet player and a teacher. He introduced her to jazz music very early on.

When she was 16, Dee Dee sang in a rock and R&B group. They performed in clubs around Michigan. At 18, she studied at Michigan State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1969, she even toured the Soviet Union with her school's jazz band.

Starting a Jazz Career

In 1970, Dee Dee met trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater. They got married and moved to New York City. Soon after, Dee Dee joined the famous Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra as their main singer. This was the start of her amazing jazz career.

She performed with many legendary jazz musicians. These included Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dexter Gordon. In 1973, she performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Her first solo album, Afro Blue, came out in 1974.

Broadway Star and Moving to Paris

In 1974, Dee Dee also started acting on Broadway. She played Glinda the Good Witch in the musical The Wiz. She won a Tony Award in 1975 for "Best Featured Actress" for this role. The musical also won a Grammy Award for its album.

In concert in 1990

After The Wiz, she acted in other stage shows. In 1984, she toured France with the musical Sophisticated Ladies. She loved France so much that she moved to Paris in 1986. That same year, she played Billie Holiday in a show called Lady Day. She was even nominated for an award for it. She also recorded a song with Ray Charles called "Precious Thing."

Returning to Jazz and Winning Awards

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dee Dee focused more on jazz music again. She performed at big music festivals like the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1990. In 1994, she worked with Horace Silver, a musician she really admired. They released the album Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver.

Her 1997 album, Dear Ella, was a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. It won her a Grammy Award in 1998 for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her album Live at Yoshi's also got a Grammy nomination. She continued to explore different music styles. Her album This Is New (2002) featured songs by Kurt Weill. Then, J'ai deux amours (2005) celebrated French classic songs.

Herbie Hancock and Bridgewater giving a masterclass to musicians in Rabat, Morocco

In 2007, she released Red Earth. This album had African-inspired themes and featured musicians from Mali. Dee Dee travels a lot, performing all over the world. In 2009, she opened the Shanghai JZ Jazz Festival. She sang songs by Ella Fitzgerald and other jazz favorites.

Helping the World and Receiving Honors

Dee Dee Bridgewater is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. She works to help fight world hunger. She encourages people to support projects that help communities grow food.

She has also received special honors from universities. These include honorary doctorates from the University of Michigan and the Berklee College of Music. In 2017, she received an NEA Jazz Masters Award. This is a very high honor for jazz musicians. In 2019, she was added to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.

Dee Dee Bridgewater's Philanthropy

Dee Dee Bridgewater has always cared about helping others. Her work as a UN Goodwill Ambassador shows this. She also started The Woodshed Network in 2019. This program helps women in jazz music. It offers support, advice, and a community for them. The program helps women grow their careers through mentorship and sharing knowledge.

Acting Roles

Dee Dee Bridgewater has also acted in movies and TV shows. She appeared in the 1979 film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh. She was also in the 1984 film The Brother from Another Planet. On TV, she made guest appearances in the sitcom Benson and the fantasy series Highlander: The Series.

Here are some of her film and TV roles:

• The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh as Brandy, 1979
• Benson as Michelle, 1980
• The Brother from Another Planet as Malverne Davis, 1984
• Highlander: The Series as Carolyn Lamb, 1993
• Go West! A Lucky Luke Adventure as Molly, 2007

Dee Dee's Family Life

Dee Dee Bridgewater has three children. Her oldest daughter, Tulani Bridgewater, is from her marriage to Cecil Bridgewater. Tulani manages Dee Dee's career and runs her music company.

Her second daughter, China Moses, is from her marriage to Gilbert Moses. China is also a talented singer, songwriter, and radio host. She performs around the world, sometimes even with her mom! Dee Dee's youngest child is Gabriel Durand.

Awards and Honors

Dee Dee Bridgewater has won many important awards for her music and acting.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are big awards for music. Dee Dee has won two Grammys and been nominated many times.

Other Special Awards

• Tony Award, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, The Wiz, 1975
• Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Award (France)
• NEA Jazz Masters, 2017 (a very high honor for jazz artists)
• Memphis Music Hall of Fame, 2019

Discography (Albums)

Here are some of Dee Dee Bridgewater's albums:

See also

In Spanish: Dee Dee Bridgewater para niños