Ella Washington facts for kids

Ella Washington, born on October 25, 1943, is an American singer. She was known for her amazing voice in R&B (Rhythm and Blues) and soul music. Later in her career, she became a gospel singer and a church pastor. She is most famous for her 1969 hit song, "He Called Me Baby".

Early Life and Music Career

Ella Washington was born in Miami, Florida. She started her music career in 1965. Her first recordings were with a local music company called Octavia. One of her early songs, "The Grass Always Seems Greener," was released by Atlantic Records. However, this song did not become a big hit.

Recording with Sound Stage 7

In 1967, Ella Washington began recording for Sound Stage 7. This record label was located in Nashville, Tennessee. Many of her songs were produced by a famous radio disc jockey named John Richbourg. These songs were often recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, a place known for its great music studios.

Her Big Hit Song

Ella Washington's third song for Sound Stage 7 was "He Called Me Baby." This song was a new version of an older tune from 1962. Many country singers had recorded it before. Ella Washington's version became very popular. It reached number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also climbed to number 38 on the Billboard R&B chart. This was her only song to become a major hit.

Albums and Later Singles

Even though "He Called Me Baby" was her only big hit, Ella Washington released an album in 1969. It was simply called Ella Washington. She continued to release new songs, called singles, on the Sound Stage 7 label. These singles came out until 1972. Some of her other songs included "Stop Giving Your Man Away" and "Trying To Make You Love Me."

Transition to Gospel Music

In 1973, Ella Washington decided to change her music style. She moved from singing R&B and soul music to gospel music. Gospel music is a type of music that shares religious messages. She sang famous gospel songs like "Amazing Grace" and "Because He Lives." She performed these songs at John Richbourg's funeral in 1986.

Becoming a Pastor

By 2009, Ella Washington had become a church pastor. She was known as Ella Washington Cobbs. She served as a pastor at Theos Ministries church. This church is located in Opa-locka, which is in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Compilations of Her Music

Over the years, several collections of Ella Washington's music have been released. The first collection was called Nobody But Me. It was released by Charly Records in 1987. Later, in 2009, a CD of her recordings for Sound Stage 7 was released. This CD was titled He Called Me Baby and came out on the Soulscape label. These collections help new fans discover her music.