Rebecca Kilgore, 76, Dies; Acclaimed Interpreter of American Songbook
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Rebecca Kilgore, a jazz singer known for her pure tone and swing style, passed away on January 7 in Portland, Oregon, at the age of 76 due to Lewy body dementia.
- Kilgore was celebrated for revitalizing the Great American Songbook, particularly pop standards from the 1920s to 1940s, and was a frequent collaborator with songwriter and pianist Dave Frishberg.
- Despite living outside major jazz hubs and recording for small labels, she earned high praise from musicians like Michael Feinstein, who called her a great contemporary interpreter and a musical "detective."
- Kilgore was almost entirely self-taught and began her professional music career later in life, starting in
