Cassietta George
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cassietta George | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cassietta Baker |
| Born | January 23, 1929 |
| Origin | Memphis, Tennessee, USA |
| Died | January 3, 1995 (aged 65) Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Genre(s) | Gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist, Composer |
| Years active | 1950s – 1970, 1990s |
| Associated acts | Audio Arts |
| Website | www.CassiettaGeorge.com |
Cassietta George (born Cassietta Baker on January 23, 1929 in Memphis, Tennessee-January 3, 1995 in Los Angeles, California) was an American gospel vocalist, and composer. George was a member of the famous The Caravans, during the period stretching from the late '50s to the mid-'60s, the Caravans went unrivaled as the nation's most popular touring gospel group. She also launched a successful solo career, recording over 16 albums albums in Los Angeles for Audio Arts Inc. Along the way, George wrote over a hundred songs, and was twice nominated for a Grammy in 1969 & 1979, for Best Soul Gospel Performance.[1]
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[edit] Life and career
Cassietta George was born in 1929 in Memphis Tennessee, the daughter of Reverend Peter Baker and Cassietta. When she was four, she began singing in her father's church. She graduated from McKinley High School in Cantgon, Ohio, where she lived for a number of years. After she finished school, she returned to Memphis and sang for a while with the Songbirds of the South, one of the many female quartets in Memphis during the 1940s and early 1950s. She later sang with the Brewster Ensemble. In the 1953 she moved to Chicago, and in 1954 became a member of the The Caravans. The most popular song with the Caravans was a spirited arrangement of "Somebody Bigger then You and I". George began composing while with The Caravans and has composed more than twenty-five songs for them, including "To Whom Shall I Turn?" and "I Believe in Thee."[2] Her style was heavily influenced by that of Clara Ward. While in the seminal group, she sang beside such greats as James Cleveland, Albertina Walker, Inez Andrews, Delores Washington and Shirley Caesar.
[edit] Selective discography
| Year | Title | Genre | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Cassietta in Concert | Gospel | Audio Arts | |
| 1969 | This Time | Gospel | Audio Arts | |
| 1964 | Walk Around Heaven | Gospel | Audio Arts |
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Grammy Awards Database: Cassietta George
- ^ Boyer, Clarence. The Golden Age of Gospel, University of Illinois Press, page 225, (2000) - ISBN 0252068777
