Dorothy Donegan
b. 6 April 1924, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Encouraged by her mother to learn music, Donegan began studying classical piano but soon turned to jazz. A meeting with Art Tatum in the early '40s led to her becoming his protege. The following year she made her first record date and became a popular figure at Chicago clubs, playing a mixture of jazz, boogie woogie and cocktail music. She also made an appearance in the film SENSATIONS OF 1945 (1944). Having started her jazz career as a single, she formed a trio in 1945 and continued to work in that format. Later in her career she was inclined to work as a soloist again, after being unable to appoint suitable drummers. In subsequent interviews she indicated a clear desire to return to playing classical music, a form which she used for her daily practise. A powerful performer with dazzling technique, she plays with enormous swing and has a solid following. The audience at a 1980 appearance in New York's Sheraton Centre Hotel broke previous attendance records.