Esther Phillips

Best known for her version of Dinah Washington's 'What a difference a day makes' which reached the US Top 20 and UK Top 10 in 1975, Esther Phillips was born Esther Mae Washington on the 23rd December, 1935 in Galveston, Texas. At the age of 13 she was noticed by, and joined Johnny Otis' band. Originally known as Little Esther she released two R&B hits on the Savoy imprint, 'Double Crossing Blues' and 'Mistrustin' Blues'. Later in the 50's she developed a taste for drugs (mainly heroin). She signed for the Lonox Label in 1960, and recorded 'Release Me', a song that would be recorded later by Englebert Humperdink. She signed for Atlantic Records when Lenox folded in 1963. She felt that she was too old to be known as Little Esther and renamed herself Esther Phillips, choosing her name from a nearby Phillips Gas Station. Whilst signed to Atlantic she recorded her own version of the Lennon/McCartney song 'And I Love Him' and 'When A Woman Loves A Man'. She signed for Kudo records in 1971 and recorded the albums 'From A Whisper To A Scream' and 'Alone Again Naturally'. Esther Phillips continued recording, signing for Mercury in 1979, until she tragically passed away on 7th August 1984.