Lena Horne (1917-2010)

New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Blue Note Records) - Blue Note Records is greatly saddened by the passing of Lena Horne, the actress and singer who broke down racial barriers throughout her remarkable career to achieve international fame.
'She was of the great jazz singers, right up there with Sarah and Ella,' said Bruce Lundvall, Chairman Emeritus of EMI's Blue Note Records. 'It was such an honor to have her on Blue Note to make her final recordings. She was a joy to work with.'

The last three albums of Horne's career-'We'll Be Together Again,' 'An Evening with Lena Horne' and 'Being Myself'-were released on Blue Note between 1994-1998.
Horne, who named Billy Strayhorn as her biggest musical influence and one of her closest friends, also contributed vocals to three songs on Simon Rattle's 'Classic Ellington' album (Blue Note, 2000).
In 2006, her longtime musical director and guitarist Rodney Jones compiled the retrospective collection 'Seasons of a Life' from Horne's Blue Note recordings.

Read The New York Times obituary HERE.