Ethel Waters

Ethel Waters
Waters in Cabin in the Sky, 1943
Born	(1896-10-31)October 31, 1896[1] Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	September 1, 1977(1977-09-01) (aged 80) Chatsworth, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, U.S.
Other names	Ethel Howard Sweet Mama Stringbean
Occupations	Actress singer
Years active	1917–1977
Spouse(s)	Merritt Purnsley ​ ​ (m. 1910; div. 1913)​ [2] Clyde E. Matthews ​ ​ (m. 1929; div. 1933)​ [1] Edward Mallory ​ ​ (m. 1938; div. 1945)​ [3]
Relatives	Crystal Waters[4] (great-niece)
Musical career
Genres	Jazz Gospel Blues
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Labels	Cardinal Black Swan Columbia Brunswick Decca Liberty Music Shop Word
Musical artist

Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her notable recordings include "Dinah", "Stormy Weather", "Taking a Chance on Love", "Heat Wave", "Supper Time", "Am I Blue?", "Cabin in the Sky", "I'm Coming Virginia", and her version of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow". Waters was the second African American to be nominated for an Academy Award, the first African American to star on her own television show, and the first African-American woman to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.