Influenced by her mother, Sarah began taking piano at age seven and organ at age eight. Like most African Americans, Sarah's musical ability was nurtured and cultivated in the black church. The Vaughan family attended the Mount Zion Baptist Church where Sarah was the church organist. Sarah's love for music grew stronger during the early years of her life as she listened to artists such as Count Basie and Erskine Hawkins. She later attended East Side Music & Arts High School in Newark, NJ (Website: A Tribute ...).

By the time Sarah was an adolescent, she had already began frequenting local clubs and theaters. It was at this time that she began to travel to Harlem to frequent the Savoy Ballroom and the Apollo Theatre (Contemporary). In 1942, Sarah participated in the Apollo Amateur

The irreplaceable Sarah Lois Vaughan a jazz legend, who paved the way for singers like Mel Torme , Anita Baker, Cassandra Wilson, and Rachelle Farrell. Known to some as "Sassy' and to others as " The Divine One," one thing is for sure she will always be simply unforgettable. Sarah Vaughan's light illuminates for all to see eternally.

"She was that rare combination of beautifully controlled tone and vibrato - she had an ear for the chord structure of songs, enabling her to change or inflect the melody as an instrumentalist might. An exceptional artist with the highest creative standards, and a consistent popularity poll winner. She will always remain one of the greats."

Night Contest in Harlem; she sang "Body and Soul." It was at this time, that Billy Eckstine, a member of Earl "Fatha" Hines' band, discovered her (Website: Black Achievers). By winning the Apollo Amateur Night, Sarah was placed into history immediately. She had gained an opportunity to join the ranks of performers who preceded her and to make a career out of that opportunity. Whitney Balliett describes Sarah's talent in the July, 1977 issue of the New Yorker Magazine :

(Website: http://parsec-santa.com/cel

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