Hazel Dorothy Scott (June 11, 1920 – October 2, 1981) was born in Port Of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago. She was a jazz and classical pianist, singer and actor. At the age of four, her mother took her to New York City where she was recognized early on as a musical prodigy. At the age of eight, Hazel was given scholarships to study at the Juilliard School of performing arts.
Hazel began performing in a jazz band in her teens and started performing on radio at the age of 16. She was prominent as a jazz singer throughout the 1930s and 1940s. In 1950 she became the first black person to have her own TV show. The Hazel Scott Show debuted on April 14th 1950 and featured a variety of entertainment. [Read more…]