Annie Ross

With vocal dexterity and a rich, clear tone that put her in the company of the jazz elite at the height of her popularity in the 1950s and '60s, vocalese pioneer Annie Ross enjoyed a second career as a film and television actress. A performer from early childhood, Ross was cast as Judy Garland's sister in the 1943 film musical Presenting Lily Mars as young teen. She later wrote the lyrics for her own breakthrough, the groundbreaking "Twisted," in 1952, and joined Dave Lambert and Jon Hendricks to form Lambert, Hendricks & Ross in 1957. One of the most successful jazz vocal gro...