Ella Washington

Ella Washington (born October 25, 1943)[1] is an American former R&B and gospel singer, described as "an outstanding Southern soul vocalist"[2] and best known for her 1969 hit "He Called Me Baby". She later became a church pastor.

Ella Washington
Also known asElla Washington Cobbs
Born (1943-10-25) October 25, 1943
Miami, Florida, U.S.
GenresRhythm and blues, soul, gospel
Occupation(s)Vocalist
Years active1965–1972, occasionally later
LabelsOctavia, Sound Stage 7

Biography

Washington was born in Miami, Florida, and first recorded in 1965 for the local Octavia label.[3][4] Her single "The Grass Always Seems Greener" was leased to Atlantic Records for release, but did not achieve commercial success.[2][5]

In 1967, she began recording for the Sound Stage 7 label in Nashville, Tennessee. Several of her records were produced by radio disc jockey John Richbourg, and were recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.[3] Her third single for Sound Stage 7, "He Called Me Baby", was a reworking of a 1962 song by Harlan Howard (originally "She Called Me Baby"), which had previously been recorded by many country singers including Bobby Bare and Patsy Cline. Washington's version reached # 77 on the Billboard Hot 100, and # 38 on the Billboard R&B chart, but was her only hit record.[4] However, she released an LP, Ella Washington, in 1969, and a succession of singles on the Sound Stage 7 label through to 1972, including "Stop Giving Your Man Away" and "Trying To Make You Love Me".[5][6]

In 1973, she turned from secular to gospel music.[3] She sang "Amazing Grace" and "Because He Lives" at John Richbourg's funeral in 1986.[7] By 2009, as Ella Washington Cobbs, she was pastor at Theos Ministries church in Opa-locka, Miami-Dade County, Florida.[8]

Her 1980 song "the ballad of Arthur McDuffie", released as a 45RPM by Kingston Records, a Miami record company, was a poignant but instrumental message of redemption after the murder of Arthur McDuffie, a Vietnam veteran turned car insurance salesman who was beaten to death by 6 Miami Police officers for running a red light. The officers covered up the beating but were later found innocent. A three day rebellion occurred in Miami due to the outcome. All officers were fired by the Miami Police. The Ballad of Arthur McDuffie stands as one of Ella Washington's most moving and transcending compositions. (Discogs.com)


The first compilation album of her recordings, Nobody But Me, was released by Charly Records in 1987.[9] A CD of her recordings for Sound Stage 7, He Called Me Baby, was issued on the Soulscape label in 2009.

References
  1. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010]
  2. "Ella Washington | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  3. Biography from Encyclopedia of Popular Music Archived May 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 470.
  5. "Ella Washington". www.soulfulkindamusic.net. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  6. "Ella Washington - Ella Washington". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  7. McNeil, W. K. (2005). Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music. Psychology Press. ISBN 9780415941792.
  8. "FindArticles.com | CBSi". findarticles.com. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  9. "Ella Washington - Nobody But Me". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
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