According to billboard.com, Janet Thurlow, jazz singer and widow of famed trombonist jimmy Cleveland who was part of Lionel Hampton’s orchestra and helped to give Quincy Jones a career boost, has passed away at the age of 96 years old. Thurlow passed away on October fourth due to congestive heart failure at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, California.
Thurlow and Cleveland met in 1951 when she joined Hampton’s band and he was playing with the legend. They ended up marrying just two years later and often performed together up until his death in 2008 at the age of 82. Thurlow was the first of five children and was born in Seattle on May 21st, 1926. She took violin, piano, and voice lessons while young and played violin on a radio talent show hosted by major Edward Bowes. She got started as a song stylist with Robert “Bumps” Blackwell’s Seattle based band in 1949 before being recruited by Hampton. She then pushed for the bandleader to hire Jones a friend from Seattle and trumpeter. In August of 1951 Thurlow and Jones featured together as “Two Seattleites” on the bill of a Hampton show at Trianon Ballroom. Later on, she recorded “I Can’t Believe You’re in Love With Me” with Hampton for the Decca label.
Survivors of Thurlow include her sister, Carolyn, nieces Carol and Julie and nephew Martin. A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Gate, California.
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