Shirley Bunnie Foy facts for kids
Shirley Bunnie Foy, also known as Bunny Foy, was an amazing American jazz singer. She was also a talented songwriter and played percussion. Shirley was born on October 13, 1936, and passed away on November 24, 2016.
Contents
Her Early Life and Music
Shirley Bunnie Foy was born in Harlem, New York. She grew up in a family where music was very important. As a child, she discovered different kinds of music. These included gospel music, which is spiritual church music, and the blues, a style known for its soulful sound.
When she was just 17, Shirley began her music career. She toured along the Atlantic coast and even in Canada. She was part of a rhythm and blues group called The Dell-Tones. This group included other talented musicians like Della Griffin and Gloria Lynne.
Her Career in Europe
In 1959, Shirley moved to Paris, France. She performed at a famous jazz club there called La Calvados. After that, she toured many countries with pianist Pierre Franzino. They visited France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and North Africa.
In 1960, Shirley was part of the first ever Jazz Festival of Antibes/Juan-les-Pins. This was a big event for jazz music. Later, in 1965, she performed in New York with the famous musician Archie Shepp. Over the years, she worked with many other great artists. These included trumpeter Charlie Shavers and drummer Jo Jones.
Shirley also worked with many musicians in the U.S. and Italy. Some of these included drummer Art Blakey and pianist Randy Weston. In Italy, she collaborated with guitarists Franco Cerri and Bruno De Filippi. She also worked with American clarinetist Tony Scott.
After the 1990s, Shirley lived in Nice, France. She continued her jazz career there. She performed with musicians like saxophonist Sébastien Chaumont and pianist Ronnie Rae.
Her Last Album
Shirley's last album was called Shirley Bunnie Foy (60th Anniversary). It was made to celebrate her 60 years in music! The album was produced by Pino Presti and others. It featured 17 songs that Shirley performed between 1954 and 2009. Some of the musicians she worked with, like Tony Scott and Archie Shepp, were also on the album.
Shirley Bunnie Foy passed away in Nice, France, on November 24, 2016. She died from a heart attack.
Her Music Albums
Shirley Bunnie Foy released several albums during her career.
Albums as the Main Artist
- May-O (released in 1974)
- Shirley Bunnie Foy (60th Anniversary) (released in 2013)
Albums as a Guest Artist
Shirley also appeared as a guest on albums by other musicians:
- George Braith – Musart (1967)
- Enrico Intra – Messa d'oggi (1975)
- Archie Shepp – A Sea of Faces (1975)
- Franco Cerri/Tony Scott – Franco, Tony e Pompeo (1976)
- Jean-Sébastien Simonoviez – Transition Cosmic Power (2007)
