Grammy-Winner LEDISI Announces Dinah Washington Tribute Album "For Dinah" Out October 3rd

Today, Grammy-winning vocalist Ledisi announced "For Dinah", a deeply personal tribute album to her lifelong hero, the legendary jazz and blues singer Dinah Washington, to be released on October 3 via Candid Records. Produced by jazz heavyweight Christian McBride and Ledisi’s longtime producer Rex Rideout, the album blends Ledisi’s signature soul with Washington’s bold spirit, reclaiming space for a pioneer who made it possible for women like her to thrive. The album features standout collaborations, including a duet with Grammy-winning vocalist Gregory Porter and appearances by top-tier musicians like Paul Jackson Jr. and rising star Michael King.

Along with the announcement, Ledisi shared lead single 'This Bitter Earth,'a soul-stirring interpretation of the haunting ballad made famous by Dinah Washington and written by Clyde Otis. With a beautifully contemporary arrangement by Ledisi and producer Christian McBride, the track captures the ache of loneliness and the fleeting nature of time, yet holds space for hope that life’s pain may still give way to grace. McBride added a hue of neo-soul to the arrangement, which allows Ledisi to effortlessly meld her musical worlds.“This song is so reflective of any era,” says Ledisi about 'This Bitter Earth.' “Especially in such a chaotic time as this. People need music right now and this song is a beautiful sentiment depicting a longing for life being filled with love. When I hear Dinah I hear that longing. It’s a perfect way to announce my tribute to The Queen of The Blues. Dinah, and Aretha, inspired me to want to sing this song. My version, arranged by the great Christian McBride, blends that longing, soulfulness of soul, jazz and blues together smoothly with a contemporary/classic sound. I’m grateful to create art that displays my love for being a hybrid of music.”

Listen to 'This Bitter Earth' HERE

Watch Live Performance of “This Bitter Earth” HERELike every triumphantly gifted female singer who has transcended barriers, Ledisi is a child of Dinah Washington. “She gave me permission to move freely, create freely, be a woman in leadership, wear and say what I want,” explains Ledisi.Born in Alabama and raised in Chicago, Washington (1924-1963) was one of the 20th century’s most important and influential singers, whose sobriquets included both “Queen of the Blues” and “Queen of the Jukeboxes.” Her voice boasted a striking clarity alongside breathtaking soulfulness, and she prided herself on being able to sing anything: She was a brilliant interpreter of jazz and the blues, as well as an R&B and pop hitmaker. Among her most devoted disciples was a gospel singer from Detroit named Aretha Franklin. But where Franklin is a household name and cultural icon, Washington, despite being wildly popular in her heyday, is tragically overlooked by the general public. It’s a problem that Ledisi hopes to correct with For Dinah.