17 Facts About Elisabeth Welch

Elisabeth Margaret Welch was an American singer, actress, and entertainer, whose career spanned seven decades.

Elisabeth Welch was American-born, but was based in Britain for most of her career.

Elisabeth Welch's father was chief gardener of an estate in Englewood, New Jersey.

Elisabeth Welch's father was of Indigenous American and African American ancestry; her mother was of Scottish and Irish descent.

Elisabeth Welch was brought up in a Baptist-Christian family, and began her singing in a church choir.

Elisabeth Welch first intended to go from high school into social work, but instead chose to become a professional singer.

Elisabeth Welch was asked to return to New York, where she replaced a singer in The New Yorkers and sang Cole Porter's controversial song "Love for Sale".

That year, before this show was available, Elisabeth Welch was given permission to perform in London in Dark Doings, in which she sang "Stormy Weather", newly written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler.

Elisabeth Welch subsequently took the song as her signature tune.

Elisabeth Welch's show-stopping performance in Nymph Errant was seen by Ivor Novello, and in 1935, he gave her a part in his show Glamorous Night, in which she stood out again singing his blues song "Far Away in Shanty Town".

Elisabeth Welch had a series of one-woman shows until 1990.

Elisabeth Welch was in the Royal Variety Performance in 1979 and 1985.

Elisabeth Welch was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1985 when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside London's Palace Theatre.

Elisabeth Welch's final public appearance was in 1997 at a tribute concert for Daily Mail theatre critic Jack Tinker at the London Palladium, at the age of 93; she didn't perform, but her attendance was announced and there was a standing ovation in her honour.

Elisabeth Welch died at the age of 99 at Denville Hall in Northwood, London on July 15,2003.

In February 2012, writer Bonnie Greer unveiled an English Heritage blue plaque at Ovington Court in Kensington, London, where Elisabeth Welch lived from 1933 to 1936.

Elisabeth Welch was twice a guest on the BBC radio programme Desert Island Discs, on February 26,1952, and November 18,1990; her latter appearance is part of the programme's online archive.