One of my favorite singers Lena Horne has passed away recently. It’s such sad news for her fans around the world. The singer, whose music was truly timeless, was 92 when she died. She died at a Manhattan hospital, late last night.
For those wondering why the death of a singer means so much to so many people, let me brief her life for you. Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was among the early liberal blacks in America. She literally gave her voice to the civil rights movement by singing at popular gatherings and conventions during the historic movement. Lena Horne was seen as one of the sensible reformists during those years of turbulence. Despite lending her voice to such causes of social activism, Lena Horne continued her highly successful career without a pause. Lena Horne literally never took her leg off the pedal on her career and kept breaking new ground every year. Her active years were from 1933 to 2000.
Broadway was bread and butter to her. Lena Horne success on commercial Broadway shows is far greater than those of today’s stars. She personally preferred Broadway to Hollywood, partly because of Hollywood’s increasingly pro-white tendencies. Her strong views on the civil right movement left her blacklisted by Hollywood’s top shots and consequently couldn’t find work. By the end of the 50’s Lena Horne lost her interest in films, despite being successful and focused on Broadway and Night-Club singing. By the 60’s Lena Horne made it big on the TV audience as well. She reigned over this audience for a good 20 years. But when things were their best, Lena Hornequit the show. But a zeitgeist like her couldn’t keep silent for too long. Within a year, Lena Hornecame back and kept performing actively till Lena Horne was over 80 years old.
Lena Horne personal life was not the greatest, but it never bothered her. Lena Horne was married twice and lived a rich and affluent life. Lena Horne possessed several luxury cars with a fancy dash kit. And her car accessories were the subject of several media men’s attention. Reporters have it that the wood dash kits in one of her cars generated more attention than her sings!
Another specific reason for the interest in the tragic loss of Lena Horne is the fact that Lena Horne was an active and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta – An African-American Sorority that specializes in social service. It’s almost like a sister concern (must get rid of my corporate Lingo!) for the Alpha Kappa Delta Phi – an Asian-American interest Sorority.
Lena Horne will be missed. Her space in American Show Biz will be irreplaceable. Rest in Peace, Lena.
.JPG)
