Born in Houston, Texas, international jazz great Ernestine Anderson passed away March 10, 2016, surrounded by her family.

Anderson’s career began in the early 1940’s. Equally gifted at singing upbeat, spirited blues, big band/swing and jazzy pop, her early career led her to sing alongside Russell Jacquet, Eddie Heywood, Shifty Henry and Johnny Otis. By the 50’s Anderson had become a prominent jazz stylist performing with Lionel Hampton on the New York Club scene. Ernestine performed at the first and many subsequent Monterey Jazz Festivals. Prior to recording her breakout hit album Hot Cargo in 1956, Anderson had also performed with a Seattle contemporary and fellow Garfield High School graduate, Quincy Jones. Anderson and Jones would eventually reunite when in 1994 his Quest Records label produced her timeless album, Now and Then, followed by Blues Dues, and Love News, which featured songs penned by Anderson. Jones described Anderson’s voice as, “honey at dusk.”