Ketty Lester facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ketty Lester
Lester in 1958
Background information
Birth name	Revoyda Frierson
Born	(1934-08-16) August 16, 1934 (age 90) Hope, Arkansas, U.S.
Genres	R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1957–present
Labels	Era, RCA, London

Ketty Lester (born Revoyda Frierson; August 16, 1934) is a famous American singer and actress. She is best known for her hit song "Love Letters" from 1961. This song became very popular, reaching the top 5 on music charts in both the U.S. and the UK. Ketty Lester is also well-known for playing Hester-Sue Terhune in the TV show Little House on the Prairie. In 2022, she was honored by being added to the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Music Career

Ketty Lester was born Revoyda Frierson on August 16, 1934, in Hope, Arkansas. Her parents were farmers and had 15 children in total. Ketty started singing at a young age in her church and later in school choirs.

Starting as a Singer

She earned a special scholarship to study music at San Francisco State College. In the early 1950s, she began performing as "Ketty Lester" at a club called the Purple Onion in San Francisco. She also traveled around Europe and South America, singing with Cab Calloway's orchestra.

Appearing on TV

On December 26, 1957, Ketty Lester appeared on the TV show You Bet Your Life. The show was hosted by Groucho Marx. Ketty sang a song called "You Do Something to Me." She and her partner won $1,000 on the show.

Recording "Love Letters"

After returning to California, Ketty recorded her first song, "Queen for a Day." Later, she met record producers Ed Cobb and Lincoln Mayorga. They helped her get a contract with Era Records. In 1961, she released her famous song "Love Letters."

Success of "Love Letters"

Ketty Lester's song "Love Letters" became a huge hit in early 1962. It reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. It also went to number 2 on the R&B chart and number 4 in the UK. The song sold over 1 million copies, earning a gold record award. In 1991, it was even listed as one of the "Songs of the Century."

More Music and Awards

In 1962, Ketty Lester toured the UK with the Everly Brothers. She released another song, "But Not for Me," which also did well on the charts. Her album, Love Letters, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

She continued to record music for different labels like RCA. She released albums such as The Soul of Me and Where Is Love?. In 1964, she won a Theatre World Award for her acting in an off-Broadway show called Cabin in the Sky.

Acting Career

By the early 1970s, Ketty Lester started focusing more on acting. She appeared in several movies, including Blacula (1972) and Uptown Saturday Night (1974).

Television Roles

Ketty Lester became a well-known TV actress in the 1970s and 1980s. She played Helen Grant on Days of Our Lives from 1975 to 1977. Her most famous TV role was Hester-Sue Terhune on Little House on the Prairie from 1977 to 1983. She also appeared in other TV shows and movies.

Later Years

In 1984, Ketty Lester recorded an album of gospel music called I Saw Him. She also continued to act in films, such as Street Knight (1993) and House Party 3 (1994).

In 2020, she released her life story in a book called Ketty Lester: From Arkansas To Grammy Nominated Love Letters to Little House on the Prairie. In 2024, Ketty Lester attended the 50th Anniversary Reunion for Little House on the Prairie. She met fans and even gave a speech on stage.

Discography

Albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Ketty Lester para niños