Freda Payne: Full Life Interview

In this oral history Freda Payne discusses growing up in Detroit, Michigan and her early career as a teenager, playing with Duke Ellington and Pearl Bailey. She recounts moving to New York City at the age of 18 and her transition from jazz to pop and R&B. Payne talks openly about her experience with numerous record labels, management, and touring. She discusses her career as an actor, both on Broadway and in Hollywood, hosting her own talk show, and playing Ella Fitzgerald in Ella: First Lady of Song. Payne speaks to why she transitioned back to jazz music, as well as the highlights of her career. She discusses her overall reception, what she is most proud of, and how relationships can be impacted by time intensive careers. The interview concludes with her thoughts on how she has changed as an artist and what she considers her role in rock history. Freda Payne is a singer, actress, and musical legend. Best known for her hit song “Band of Gold,” Payne is a prolific singer and has recorded 16 albums. Learn more at: WomenofRock.org Interviewed by Tanya Pearson for the Women of Rock Oral History Project Shot by Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein The Women of Rock Oral History Project is a collection of digital interviews and written transcripts, housed at the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College—one of the oldest women’s history archives in the United States. Started by Tanya Pearson in December, 2014, WOROHP documents the lives and careers of women in rock whose work and careers have been underrepresented or omitted from rock journalism and historical scholarship. With a collection of publicized and accessible primary source documents, the Women of Rock Oral History Project seeks to facilitate a more comprehensive, inclusive, and accurate cultural history. #rock #punk #interview #music #history