Dorothy Combs Morrison

Dorothy Combs Morrison is an American gospel music singer. She was born in Longview, Texas, on May 8, 1944.[1] The seventh child of ten, Dorothy showed early signs of her talents. She began singing at the age of 13 and released her first single "I Am Free", while singing with her siblings as 'The Combs Family'. Dorothy's continued exposure while appearing with her family at church events led to her talents being noticed by others in the San Francisco and Oakland Bay Area.

In the 1960s, she then joined the Edwin Hawkins singers and was the lead vocalist on the Grammy Award-winning Hall of Fame hymn, "Oh Happy Day".[2] She toured with Edwin Hawkins, Van Morrison, Boz Scaggs, and Delaney and Bonnie, among others. She appeared on TV shows including The Carol Burnett Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as well as Soul Train and Dance Party.

Dorothy's appearance at the 1969 Big Sur Folk Festival is seen in the film Celebration at Big Sur;[3] with the Combs Sisters, she sang "All God's Children Got Soul", her only solo song to make the Billboard Top 100.

At home in the East Bay area, Dorothy performed for the Mayor of Oakland in the City Square and in 2002 was honored and awarded with the key to the city of Oakland.

References

  1. ↑ Larkin, Colin (1997). The Virgin encyclopedia of sixties music. Virgin in association with Muze Inc. p. 227.
  2. ↑ Myers, Mitch (2008). The Boy Who Cried Freebird:Rock & Roll Fables and Sonic Storytelling. Harper Collins. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-06-113902-4.
  3. ↑ Darden, Robert; Darden, Bob (2005). People Get Ready!: A New History of Black Gospel Music. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 275. ISBN 978-0-8264-1752-7.


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