Hazel Scott

Date of Birth: June 11, 1920

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: October 2, 1981

Biography

Hazel Dorothy Scott was a Trinidadian-born American jazz and classical pianist, singer, and actor. She was born on June 11, 1920, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and moved to New York City with her mother in 1924. Hazel was a prodigious musical talent from a young age, starting formal piano lessons at the age of three and winning a scholarship to study at the prestigious Juilliard School when she was just eight years old. Scott’s career spanned several decades, during which she broke numerous racial and gender barriers. She was one of the first African American women to host her own television show, “The Hazel Scott Show,” in 1950. Renowned for her virtuosic piano playing and her unique ability to blend classical music with jazz, she was a significant figure in the fight for civil rights, using her platform to challenge racial discrimination and segregation. Hazel Scott’s contributions to music and society were immense. She appeared in several films, including “Rhapsody in Blue” (1945) and “The Heat’s On” (1943), where she often performed her own musical numbers. Despite facing numerous personal and professional challenges, including being blacklisted during the McCarthy era, Scott continued to perform and advocate for equality throughout her life.

5 Interesting Facts about Hazel Scott

1. Hazel Scott was the first African American woman to have her own television show, “The Hazel Scott Show,” which aired in 1950.

2. She played “two-fisted” piano, a technique that involved playing two different melodies simultaneously, showcasing her extraordinary talent.

3. Scott was an outspoken advocate for civil rights and refused to perform in segregated venues, using her influence to challenge racial discrimination in the entertainment industry.

4. She was married to Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr., a prominent civil rights leader, from 1945 to 1960.

5. Hazel Scott was blacklisted during the McCarthy era due to her political activism and left the United States for Paris, where she continued her career.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Hazel Scott

1. “I’ve always known I was gifted, which is not the easiest thing in the world for a woman to know, but I can’t base my life on the fact that I’m gifted.”

2. “Why would anyone come to hear me sing a song that I couldn’t sing the way I felt it?”

3. “The people I am bitter against are the people who are trying to put people into slots and categories.”

4. “There is only good music and bad music. The only criteria of a great artist is that they should be able to perform both.”

5. “I don’t want to have to follow anybody’s rules, so I make my own.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of her career, Hazel Scott’s net worth was estimated to be around $1 million, a significant amount given the era in which she achieved her success.