LILLIAN OFFITT
Lillian Offitt (born November 4, 1937) is an American former blues and R&B singer.
Born in Gallatin, Tennessee, she studied at Tennessee State University, and visited the offices of Nashboro Records in the hope of making a gospel record. The label owner, Ernie Young, suggested she record secular music, and her first record, "Miss You So", was issued on its subsidiary Excello label in 1957. It rose to number 8 on the Billboard R&B chart, and she turned professional, making appearances in Chicago and, later in the year, touring with Lowell Fulson, Johnny "Guitar" Watson and others. She moved to live in Chicago, where she performed in nightclubs and continued to release records, but with diminishing success.
In 1959 she joined Earl Hooker's band as a featured vocalist, and signed for Chief Records in Chicago. Her recording of "Will My Man Be Home Tonight?", featuring Hooker on guitar, became a regional hit but failed to make the national charts. Follow-up records again failed to be commercially successful, and she retired from music in the early 1960s to raise a family, being replaced on an intended American Folk Blues Festival tour of Europe by Sugar Pie DeSanto. Her last reported performance was in 1974, in St. Joseph, Michigan.
Offitt has continued to live in Chicago, working outside the music business.
Nacida un 4 de noviembre de 1938, en Nashville, Tennessee, EE. UU. , Lillian Offit era una cantante de blues, de pequeña estatura con un talento que llegóa ser discutido Todavía asistía a la universidad cuando visitó las oficinas de Nashboro Records con la esperanza de hacer una grabación acerca del evangelio. El propietario Ernie Young sugirió que probara música secular, y 'Miss You So' se publicó en Excello en 1957. Tuvo éxito suficiente para que ella se considerase seriamente el dedicarse a la música profesional, y se emitieron dos singles más, con un éxito más limitado . En 1958 se mudó a Chicago para convertirse en cantante destacada de la banda Earl Hooker en Robert's Show Lounge. A través de Hooker, conoció a Me London, propietaria de Chief Records, y grabó su primer disco para el sello en febrero de 1960. 'Will My Man Be Home Tonight', que presentaba la guitarra slide de Hooker, se convirtió en un éxito en el área de Chicago. 'My Man I A Lover', grabado en mayo de 1960, y 'Troubles' de un año después, volvía a demostrar que su éxito estaba más bien de baja con Excello. Dejó la música para fundar una familia, evitando ésta que se uniera a la gira del American Folk Blues Festival de 1964, su lugar ocupado por Sugar Pie DeSanto. Fue vista por última vez en 1974 como parte de Streakers Rated-X Revue en St. Joseph, Michigan.
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