Georgia Gibbs (Born Fredda Gibson)
August 26, 1926 – December 9, 2006
Georgia Gibbs was a torch singer with a powerful voice who came to prominence during the ’40s and was pretty much a household name by the ’50s. She was just 13 when she began her career, and within a few years, she cut her first records. By the mid ’40s, she had appeared on radio and had performed with the likes of Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey. Over the course of her career, Gibbs charted over 40 songs, including “Kiss of Fire,” “Autumn Leaves,” “Melancholy Baby,” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.” She also appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show numerous times. Georgia Gibbs was 87 when she died of leukemia on December 9, 2006.