Donna Hightower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donna Hightower
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Donna Hightower in 1964
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Donna Lubertha Hightower |
| Also known as | Little Donna Hightower |
| Born | December 28, 1926 Caruthersville, Missouri, United States |
| Died | August 19, 2013 (aged 86) Austin, Texas, United States |
| Genres | R&B, soul, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1951–2013 |
| Labels | Decca, RPM, Capitol, Columbia |
Donna Lubertha Hightower (born December 28, 1926 – died August 19, 2013) was an American singer and songwriter. She was known for her amazing voice in R&B, soul, and jazz music. Donna recorded many songs and albums for famous companies like Decca and Capitol. Later in her life, she moved to Europe. There, she had a huge hit song in 1972 called "This World Today is a Mess."
Contents
Donna Hightower's Life Story
Donna Hightower was born in Caruthersville, Missouri. Her family were sharecroppers, which means they farmed land owned by others and shared the crops. As a young girl, she loved listening to singers like Ella Fitzgerald. But Donna never thought she would become a singer herself. By the time she was 23, she was married, had two children, and was divorced.
How Did Donna Start Singing?
Donna was working in a restaurant in Chicago. One day, a reporter named Bob Tillman from Chicago Defender newspaper heard her singing. He was so impressed that he helped her get a job singing at the Strand Hotel! At first, she was called Little Donna Hightower. Soon, she got a contract with Decca Records. Her very first song, "I Ain't In The Mood," came out in 1951.
Touring and Recording
In the mid-1950s, Donna recorded many R&B songs for RPM Records. She often sang with the Maxwell Davis Orchestra. One of her songs from this time was "Hands Off" in 1955. Donna traveled all over the United States, performing with famous artists like Louis Jordan, B.B. King, Johnny Mathis, and Della Reese. Even though her songs didn't always become big hits on the main music charts, critics loved her music. Her song "I Ain't In The Mood" was even number one on Decca Record's special "Sepia" (race) charts.
A New Start with Capitol Records
By 1958, Donna's singing career slowed down a bit. She started working for a company in New York City that helped create new songs. Her job was to record "demo" songs. These are like practice versions of new songs to show to other singers. One of her demo songs, "Light of Love," was heard by a record producer named Dave Cavanaugh. He liked her voice so much that he signed her to Capitol Records!
Donna recorded two albums for Capitol in 1959: Take One! and Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You?. People noticed her powerful voice and how well she could sing both strong and soft, emotional songs.
Becoming an International Star
In 1959, Donna Hightower began performing in Europe. She sang in England, France, Sweden, and other countries. She even performed with music legends like Quincy Jones and The Platters. She eventually moved to France, then Belgium, and finally settled in Madrid, Spain, in the late 1960s.
In 1971, Donna won the Costa del Sol International Song Festival. After that, she started recording in Spain for Columbia Records. Her songs were released in many parts of Europe by Decca Records.
Donna also sang as part of a duo called Danny y Donna with singer Danny Daniel. They had a popular song in Spain called "El Vals de las Mariposas."
Her Biggest Hit
Donna's most famous song was "This World Today Is A Mess" ("Este Mundo es un Conflicto"). She helped write this song herself. It became a huge international hit in 1972, selling over one million copies around the world! However, it wasn't released in the US or the UK. Another one of her songs, "If You Hold My Hand," was later used in a popular UK song called "Handsfree" by Sonny J in 2007.
Later Life
In 1990, Donna returned to the US and lived in Austin, Texas. She was still active in music, especially with the Austin Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and appeared on local radio shows. Her last performance in Spain was at a jazz festival in 2006. Donna Hightower passed away in Austin in 2013 at the age of 86.
Donna Hightower's Legacy
In 2008, a musician named Sonny J released a new version of Donna Hightower's song "If You Hold My Hand." He called his remixed song "Handsfree." This helped introduce Donna's music to a new generation of listeners.
Donna Hightower's Music (Discography)
Here are some of the records Donna Hightower released:
Decca Records
- "I Ain't In The Mood" (single - 1951)
RPM Records
- "He's My Baby" (single - 1955)
Capitol Records
- Take One (LP - 1958)
- Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (LP - 1959)
Guitarra Records
- "Soy Feliz" (single - 1970)
Columbia Records (in Spain, as Discos Columbia)
- "If You Hold My Hand" (single - 1971)
- "El Valz de las Mariposas" (Waltz of the Butterflies) (single - 1971)
- "This World Today is a Mess" (Este Mundo es un Conflicto) (single - 1972, LP - 1972)
- Here I Am (LP - 1973)
- I'm In Love with Love (LP - 1974)
- El Jazz y Donna Hightower (LP - 1975)
Mastervision Records
- Prima Donna (LP - 1985)
See also
In Spanish: Donna Hightower para niños
