Babs Gonzales

During his career the American singer, songwriter and author Babs Gonzales established himself as one of the most colourful, talented and unusual performers of his day. He was born Lee Brown in Newark, New Jersey and found his first job in the entertainment business as a band boy for Jimmie Lunceford. During this period his life story takes on a surreal quality which at various times saw him working as a chauffeur for Errol Flynn, assuming the name Gonzales and passing himself off as Spanish so he wouldn't be treated as an African American, and turning up for his WWII military service dressed as a woman resulting in him being turned down as unfit for duty. He became known throughout the jazz community as a scat singer and during his career played with some of the greats including artists such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Lionel Hampton. He also established his own band known as Babs' Three Bips and a Bop and released a series of singles during the late 1940s but with limited commercial success. In the 1950s and 60s he released a number of singles and albums and became a cult figure rather than a popular performer and relied on his book writing to earn a living. He died in Newark at the age of 61 from cancer.

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