20 Facts About Betty Carter

Betty Carter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory at the age of 15, but only attained a modest level of expertise.

Betty Carter's scatting was known to display a degree of spontaneity and basic inventiveness that was seldom seen elsewhere.

Detroit, where Betty Carter grew up, was a hotbed of jazz growth.

However, Betty Carter eventually performed with Parker, as well as with his band consisting of Tommy Potter, Max Roach, and Miles Davis.

Betty Carter too had a deep love for bebop as well as a talent for it.

Betty Carter openly hated his swing style, refused to sing in a swinging way, and she was far too outspoken for his tastes.

Betty Carter was part of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra that played at the famed Cavalcade of Jazz in Los Angeles at Wrigley Field which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr.

Betty Carter was propelled into prominence, recording with Epic label by 1955, and was a well-known artist by the late 1950s.

Betty Carter recorded for various labels during this period, including ABC-Paramount, Atco and United Artists, but was rarely satisfied with the resulting product.

Betty Carter was nearly forty years old, which at the time was not conducive to a career in the public eye.

Betty Carter had to work extremely hard to continue to book gigs because of the jazz decline.

The Betty Carter trio was one of the very few jazz groups to continue to book gigs in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Betty Carter created her record label, Bet-Car Records, in 1969, the sole recording source of Betty Carter's music for the next eighteen years:.

Betty Carter began performing at colleges and universities, starting in 1972 at Goddard College in Vermont.

Betty Carter was excited at this opportunity, as it was since the mid-1960s that Betty Carter had been wanting to visit schools and provide some sort of education for students.

Betty Carter began lecturing along with her musical performances, informing students of the history of jazz and its roots.

In 1977, Betty Carter enjoyed a new peak in critical and popular estimation, and taught a master class with her past mentor, Dizzy Gillespie, at Harvard.

Betty Carter continued to perform, tour, and record, as well as search for new talent until she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the summer of 1998.

Betty Carter died on September 26,1998, at the age of 69, and was cremated.

Betty Carter is considered responsible for discovering great jazz talent, including John Hicks, Curtis Lundy, Mulgrew Miller, Cyrus Chestnut, Dave Holland, Stephen Scott, Kenny Washington, Benny Green, Tarik Shah, and Gregory Hutchinson.