Terrific Tuesday

The great Lena Horne. She broke down walls for African American entertainers that had been holding them back for decades. A trailblazer along with the likes of Eartha Kitt, Billie Holiday, and Josephine Baker, Lena achieved the kind of mainstream success in the US that no black woman had enjoyed before her.

Lena’s performance of Let It Snow is a gem. It’s a classic from her 1966 album Merry that plays endlessly on radio during the holiday season because of its jazzy arrangement, irresistible swing, and Lena’s matchless delivery of the lyrics. This is a woman who had climbed the heights of stardom and was at her peak, enjoying the fruits of her labor with gusto. It’s just delicious.

To my knowledge, there isn’t a recording of Lena performing this song live, but this video from You Tube seems to suffice just fine. The immortal Lena Horne, we will always love you. Keep doin’ it, girl!