Cleo Laine, the Grammy-winning British jazz singer renowned for her four-octave voice and a memorable Broadway performance in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” died Thursday at her home in Wavendon, England, per nytimes.com.
She was 97.
Her daughter, Jacqui Dankworth, confirmed her death.
Laine, celebrated for her smoky voice and masterful scat singing, recorded dozens of albums over six decades. She earned a Grammy in 1986 for Best Female Jazz Vocal Performance for “Cleo at Carnegie: The 10th Anniversary Concert.” She and her husband, saxophonist and bandleader John Dankworth, captivated audiences worldwide in venues ranging from intimate clubs to the grand London Palladium.
Beyond jazz, Laine’s artistic pursuits were diverse. She appeared in films, performed in operas, and seamlessly incorporated pop songs into her repertoire. Her love for musical theatre led to her Tony-nominated role as Princess Puffer in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” a performance she humorously noted might lead to her being typecast as an “old hag.”
Born Clementine Dinah Campbell on October 28, 1927, in Southall, West London, Laine’s mixed heritage was fiercely protected by her English mother, Minnie Hitchings. Her Jamaican father, Alec Campbell, had settled in England after serving in World War I.
Laine’s professional singing career began in 1952 when she successfully auditioned for John Dankworth’s band. They married in 1958, forming a powerful musical partnership. By the mid-1960s, she was a celebrated figure in British jazz. Her formal New York debut in 1972 at Alice Tully Hall drew critical acclaim, with The New York Times’s John S. Wilson calling her “one of their national treasures.” Laine later quipped that their delay in conquering the U.S. was due to waiting for “Beatle hysteria to die down.”
Throughout her career, Laine’s adventurous song selection, impressive vocal range, and interpretive abilities were consistently praised. While some critics found her style lacked emotional punch, her renditions were widely regarded as models of taste. Notable albums include “Cleo Sings Sondheim” (1988), featuring a striking version of “Send In The Clowns,” and “Woman to Woman” (1989), composed entirely of songs by women.
A natural collaborator, Laine recorded with jazz luminaries like Mel Tormé and Ray Charles, and flutist James Galway. She sang with the Boston Pops, duetted with Tony Bennett, and performed with her daughter, also a jazz singer. Famously, she even sang a comedic version of Irving Berlin’s “You’re Just in Love” with the Swedish Chef from “The Muppet Show.”
Laine and Dankworth also made a lasting contribution to the arts by establishing The Stables, a performance venue on their property that has nurtured generations of performers. John Dankworth passed away in 2010, just hours before a concert celebrating the Stables’ 40th anniversary. The show proceeded, with Laine announcing his death to the audience before the finale.
In 1997, Cleo Laine was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, becoming Dame Cleo. She continued to perform well into her 80s, even after breaking her leg in a fall at 83. Despite losing some of her famed four-octave range, she maintained her passion for singing, telling The Guardian in 2011, “I am still singing and I’ve got work if I want it.”
Laine is survived by her son Alec, daughter Jacqui Dankworth, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Her son Stuart died in 2019.
•Featured image: The singer in 1973/Getty Images
