Voting Station

Abbey Lincoln

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (August 6, 1930-August 14, 2010)
    Born in Chicago, Illinois
    Birth name was Anna Marie Wooldridge
    Jazz singer/songwriter/actress
    Recorded the albums 'Abbey Lincoln's Affair' (1956), 'That's Him' (1957), 'It's Magic' (1958), 'Abbey Is Blue' (1959), 'Straight Ahead' (1961), 'The People In Me' (1973), 'Painted Lady' (1980), 'Golden Lady' (1980), 'Talking to the Sun' (1987), 'Abbey Sings Billie' (1987), 'The World Is Falling Down' (1990), 'Devil's Got Your Tongue' (1992), 'Who Used To Dance' (1996), 'It's Me' (2003) and 'Abbey Sings Abbey' (2007)
    Appeared in the films 'The Girl Can't Help It' (1956), 'Nothing But A Man' (1964), 'For Love Of Ivy' (1968) and 'Mo' Better Blues' (1990)
    Received the Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment of the Arts (2003)

Why she might be annoying:

    She performed as Gabby Lee before her manager came up with a new stage name by combining Westminster Abbey with President Abraham Lincoln.
    She complained about her early vampy image, 'People in the audience were looking at my exposed breasts and the shape of my body, and it didn't have nothing to do with the music.'
    In later years, she had such a lack of stage presence that reviewers of her concerts noted that when the other musicians took their solos, she looked as if she had wandered onto stage by accident.
    After divorcing jazz drummer Max Roach she withdrew from performing for several years.
    Her main contribution to Roach's 1960 album 'We Insist! Freedom Now' was Yoko Ono-style screeching.

Why she might not be annoying:

    She was called 'the black Marilyn Monroe.'
    She was a civil rights activist in the 60s.
    She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the movie 'For Love of Ivy.'
    Unlike many female jazz singers, she wrote much of her own material.
    Cassandra Wilson said, 'I learned a lot about taking a different path from Abbey. Investing your lyrics with what your life is about in the moment.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 63 Votes: 65.08% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 23 Votes: 69.57% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 21 Votes: 23.81% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 20 Votes: 35.00% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 25 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 67 Votes: 50.75% Annoying