'70s Funk Legend and Triple Grammy Winner Turns 76
Three-time Grammy winner and Tony Award-winning performer Dee Dee Bridgewater has turned 76, continuing a music career that has lasted for more than five decades across jazz, funk, R&B, theater and global music.
Born Denise Eileen Garrett on May 27, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee, Bridgewater remains one of the most respected voices in jazz history. The legendary singer, actress, producer and humanitarian is still actively touring in 2026 while mentoring young musicians and releasing new music projects.
Bridgewater first became known during the 1970s after joining the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra as lead vocalist. Her breakthrough came at a time when jazz, funk, soul and R&B were shaping popular music around the world. She later performed alongside major jazz artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Dexter Gordon and Horace Silver.
Her debut solo album, Afro Blue, arrived in 1974 and helped establish her as a rising voice in jazz and funk-influenced music. A year later, Bridgewater earned a Tony Award for playing Glinda the Good Witch in Broadway's The Wiz. The production later won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
Today, Bridgewater is still performing internationally and remains deeply involved in music education and advocacy.
Bridgewater has won three Grammy Awards throughout her career, including honors for her celebrated albums Dear Ella and Eleanora Fagan (1915–1959): To Billie with Love from Dee Dee Bridgewater. Her work often blends jazz with soul, blues, funk, African music, and theatrical performance.
In 2025, she released Elemental with pianist Bill Charlap. The album later earned a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. The project included the single "Honeysuckle Rose" and marked another chapter in her long-running recording career.
Even after decades in music, Bridgewater said she still feels driven to use her voice for social issues.
In a 2025 interview with The Guardian, Bridgewater said, "I just don't feel like it's the time to be doing love songs and whimsical songs from the 1920s and 30s."
She added, "People, we have to protect our democracy."
The singer also spoke openly about activism, racism and the importance of protest music in today's world.
"I cannot just sit back and be silent. I have to raise my voice," Bridgewater said.
Her current performances include songs tied to social justice themes, including works associated with Nina Simone, Donny Hathaway and Bob Dylan.
Bridgewater also continues leading her all-female band, We Exist!, which she founded to support women in jazz.
Beyond performing, Bridgewater has spent years mentoring younger artists through The Woodshed Network, a program she launched in 2019 to support women and non-binary musicians in the jazz industry.
The mentorship project was created with her daughter and manager, Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski, and focuses on career development, networking and professional guidance.
Bridgewater has also served as a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Goodwill Ambassador, using her platform to support projects focused on ending world hunger and helping vulnerable communities.
Over the years, she has received many honors outside the Grammy Awards, including the NEA Jazz Masters Award, the Doris Duke Artist Award and induction into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.
In April 2025, France awarded her the Officier dans l'ordre de la Légion d'Honneur, recognizing her global cultural contributions.
Bridgewater has spent much of her adult life in Paris while maintaining strong ties to the United States and the international jazz community.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 4:06 PM.