Thursday, 15 April 2021

Cora Lee Day born 15 April 1914


Cora Lee Day (April 15, 1914 - November 1, 1996) was a singer and actress. 

Cora Lee Day is yet another forgotten singer who has absolutely nothing regarding her biography on the internet except snippets of information, so here goes.

She was born in Florida and raised in New York . She started her career as a model (1) and ventured into the showbiz industry and was virtually unknown when she recorded "My Crying Hour" in 1960. It was the only album in her brief singing career at the age of 46, before becoming an actress. 

Cora lee Day (left) 1975
As a vocalist, she has a bit of a mix of Eartha Kitt and hints of Billie Holiday, but her voice still had that certain intangible quality that singled her out as a rare-find on the jazz scene and is sure to catch your ear. Under the direction of pianist Jimmy Jones and with a number of skilful arrangements, Cora Lee gained the drive and confidence to sing an engaging repertoire of fragile, moving songs in the manner that came most natural to her —soft and intimate. I do not know if it's true or not, but in a review on one Japanese site it stated that Cora Lee was seen by someone from Roulette at some musical event where she impersonated Billy Holiday and this led to the album. 

Between the 1960 album and the 1975 film credits I cannot find any press releases or in fact anything pertaining to Cora but it seems she became an actress late in life with TV shows which include “Hunter” and “Kojak” amongst others. Her film credits date from 1975 to 1994 and is best known for Daughters of the Dust (1991), What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) and A Worn Path (1994). 

She died on November 1, 1996 in Sarasota, Florida. 

(Sources (1) filmifeed.com. The rest is edited from liner notes by Jordi Pujol and bfi.org.uk)

I would be very grateful if anyone can add to this biography.

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6 comments:

  1. boppinbob15 April 2021 at 06:05

    For “Cora lee Day – My Crying Hour” go here:

    https://www.upload.ee/files/13056489/Cora_Lee_Day.rar.html

    01. My Crying Hour (Sonny LeGlaire) 3:45
    02. When Your Lover Has Gone (E.A.Swan) 2:50
    03. Trouble Is a Man (Alec Wilder) 3:01
    04. The Very Thought of You (Ray Noble) 3:17
    05. I See a Million People (Robert Sour) 3:30
    06. Ain't No Use (Wyche-Kirkland) 3:08
    07. It Isn't Fair (Warshauer-Sprigato-Himber) 2:37
    08. You Taught Me How to Cry (E.Johnson) 3:29
    09. Weeping Willow (Zola Garrett) 3:03
    10. Try a Little Tenderness (Woods-Campbell-Connelly) 3:20
    11. I'm Gonna Laugh You Out of My Life (Coleman-McCarthy) 3:26
    12. The Masquerade Is Over (Magidson-Wrubel) 3:16

    Personnel
    Cora Lee Day, vocals
    Accompanied by Sextet & Orchestra conducted by Jimmy Jones
    Sextet (#2,3,6,7,9,10,12): Harry Edison, trumpet; Illinois Jacquet, tenor sax; Jimmy Jones, piano, Barry Galbraith, guitar; Eddie Jones, bass; Osie Johnson, drums.
    Orchestra (#1,5,8,11): Arrangements by Jerry Valentine.
    Recorded in New York City, June 1960

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  2. bluesjumper3315 April 2021 at 11:48

    Thanks Bob. Never heard of her before but record company trying to fill the void left by Billie Holiday's death two years earlier with a very similar voice !

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  3. Bob Mac15 April 2021 at 15:06

    Thanks for this, I've never heard of her before either.

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  4. Destroyer198523 April 2021 at 19:07

    Beautiful voice, thank you.

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  5. Nejah20 September 2021 at 18:42

    Cora Lee was my spiritual grandmother. We moved from Watts, California to Cochran’s Ave near Venice & LaBrea around 1975. She lived down the street about 5 houses from our house. I first noticed her brushing her two dogs hair on her front porch. Being a dog lover I shyly made my way down to ask could I pet her dogs. Peanut and butter where their names and that is when our relationship began. She invited me into her thimble size studio apartment. Immediately her exquisite paintings on the walls leaped into my soul. That was the first time I had seen Black people portrayed not as a caricature but as regal, dignified intelligent looking people. She told me stories of getting a perm as a teenager that burned a d caused most of her hair to fall out. After that she said I will never put chemicals in my hair again. But everyday older black women would chastise her “ you oughta be ashamed of yourself girl cover that nappy hair”, but no matter the outside pressure she refused to think something was the matter with her course natural coil's that resembled her DNA. She had an organic garden and until she moved away I sat at her feet drinking in her sage wisdom and insight. I didn’t know she sang but she was an creative, genius artist to the bone. Being dark skinned limited a lot of job opportunities but best believe whatever she did no matter how small or fleeting was magnificent! Cora Lee planted many seeds in my young mind that have grown into fields of infinite possibilities. I write, grow organic veggies and have two dogs like peanut and butter that I don’t brush everyday like she did. Ha! And I have Nubian locks that dangle in the wind, bake in the sun and regally coils like hers. I also love my black people, ancestors and the global human family just like her. Did she leave an impression on my soul. You best believe she did!

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  6. albo3 July 2022 at 16:09

    You are very Fortunate Nejah. There's so little about her online. Perhaps you could do a youtube video. This story shouldn't be in the backwaters of the internet (no disrespect to the owner of this blog, I mean blogger doesn't have the following it used to have)

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