Pat Rainey facts for kids

Pat Rainey (April 27, 1925 – April 13, 1998) was an American singer and actress. She was known for her jazz and blues music. Pat Rainey was the daughter of Julian Rainey, who was a lawyer and politician.

Early Life and Family

Pat Rainey was born on April 27, 1925. Her parents were Julian David Rainey and Dorothy Esther Akiman. They got married in 1922.

Her father, Julian, was a very important person in public service. At one point, he was the highest paid Black man in public service in New England. Pat's mother, Dorothy, passed away in Boston in 1932. The next year, her father married Gwendolyn Peterson. Pat's half-sister, Sheila Emily Rainey, was born in 1934.

By the late 1940s, Pat Rainey became famous as a singer and actress.

Music Career

In 1947, Pat Rainey moved from Boston to Broadway to start her singing career. She began working as a showgirl at the Zanzibar Night Club. This club was very popular at the time.

By February 1949, she released a song called "Gotta Love You 'Til I Die." It was on a record with another song, "Headin' For A Heartache." The music magazine Billboard liked the first song. In March of that year, her song was called "the hottest record of the year" in an advertisement.

In January 1951, Pat Rainey often performed at Chez Vito in New York. This was a small music spot inside the Hotel Maurice. She had also performed there in early 1950.

Pat Rainey appeared on the cover of Jet magazine on November 27, 1952. Three months after a difficult time, Jet magazine reported good news. In April 1953, it said she was making a big comeback. She was performing at the special Storyville club in her hometown of Boston.

In 1955, when she was 28 years old, she was linked to Farouk. He was the former king of Egypt. They met when she was performing at the KitKat club in Rome.

Later Years and Passing

Pat Rainey stopped working in the music business in 1961. She then disappeared from public view for many years. Later, in 1981, newspapers in Boston reported about her. They said she was working as a social worker.

Pat Rainey passed away on April 13, 1998. She died as Pat Rau at the Westborough Health Care Center in Westborough, Massachusetts.

Discography

Filmography