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St. Louis singer Fontella Bass, known for 'Rescue Me,' dies
STL Today (Post Dispatch) ^ | December 27, 2012 | MICHAEL D. SORKIN

Posted on 12/27/2012 1:53:23 PM PST by Da Bilge Troll

Fontella Bass, the St. Louis-born gospel and R&B singer famous for her 1965 hit “Rescue Me,” died Wednesday night.

She was 72 and had suffered a heart attack on Dec. 2, her family said this morning.

Ms. Bass was taught by her mother, gospel singer Martha Bass.

Ms. Bass graduated from Soldan High School and started her professional career at 17 at the Showboat Club near Chain of Rocks, Mo.

She got a contract with Chess Records and sang duets with Bobby McClure, including “Don't Mess Up a Good Thing.”

She sang and co-wrote “Rescue Me,” which sold more than a million copies.

She lived in Florissant and sang worldwide. She recorded her last album, “Travellin',” in 2001. She toured for a time with her brother, David Peaston, who died in February of complications from diabetes at age 54.

Ms. Bass died at Westchester House in Chesterfield. Services are pending.

(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: fontellabass; rescueme; stlouis
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1 posted on 12/27/2012 1:53:31 PM PST by Da Bilge Troll
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To: Da Bilge Troll
Fontella Bass: "Rescue Me"

Very well produced and sung.

2 posted on 12/27/2012 1:58:49 PM PST by Publius ("A centralized government is a centralized evil." -- Gen. John Graham)
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To: Da Bilge Troll

She also sang “Our Day Will Come,’ and ‘Brown Eyed Handsome Man.’ I liked her music. RIP


3 posted on 12/27/2012 2:04:38 PM PST by political1 (Love your neighbors)
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To: Da Bilge Troll
My first year in radio at WABB in Mobile, Al on the overnight shift....hers was he greatest song to perk up the late audience.

She "Rescued Me" many times.

4 posted on 12/27/2012 2:05:39 PM PST by capt. norm (Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never run out of material. c)
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To: Da Bilge Troll

“I am lonely and I’m blue
I need you and your love, too.....”


5 posted on 12/27/2012 2:24:31 PM PST by Sivad (Nor Cal Red Turf)
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To: Da Bilge Troll; a fool in paradise

The greatest Motown imitation ever!


6 posted on 12/27/2012 2:25:56 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: Da Bilge Troll; a fool in paradise

No synthesizers, no pitch correction, no software, you can hear the studio ambience, and perfect horn arrangements, how did they manage to do that?


7 posted on 12/27/2012 2:30:37 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: capt. norm
WABB, now that brings back some memories. If you were a DJ then, I probably listened to you back in those days.

I guess that you knew Bernie Dittman died in 2006.

8 posted on 12/27/2012 2:34:18 PM PST by rightly_dividing (Left behind; 4 Americans in Libya)
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To: Da Bilge Troll

Rest in Peace.

Luv’d that song and couple others.


9 posted on 12/27/2012 2:50:36 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
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To: capt. norm

I loved her, a great writer, singer and performer.


10 posted on 12/27/2012 2:50:47 PM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: Publius

Great Motown sound from back in the day.


11 posted on 12/27/2012 2:57:26 PM PST by Flick Lives (We're going to be just like the old Soviet Union, but with free cell phones!)
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To: Flick Lives

Actually, the label was based in Chicago, not Detroit. It’s pseudo-Motown.


12 posted on 12/27/2012 2:58:36 PM PST by Publius ("A centralized government is a centralized evil." -- Gen. John Graham)
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To: Da Bilge Troll

RIP.


13 posted on 12/27/2012 3:17:31 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: Da Bilge Troll

She had a great sound! I did not know her background but we were from the same area of St Louis. My husband graduated Soldan in Jan. 1957, sounds like she might have been a classmate.


14 posted on 12/27/2012 3:25:22 PM PST by chronicles
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To: Publius

Thanks for posting. RIP, Miss Bass and thanks for providing us with a memorable and enjoyable song.

BTW, cool signature quote Publius.


15 posted on 12/27/2012 4:06:38 PM PST by ReformationFan
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To: ReformationFan
The quote is from The Devil's Advocate by Taylor Caldwell.
16 posted on 12/27/2012 4:07:46 PM PST by Publius ("A centralized government is a centralized evil." -- Gen. John Graham)
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To: Da Bilge Troll

Always loved that song!


17 posted on 12/27/2012 4:51:19 PM PST by SuziQ
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To: Da Bilge Troll

Here’s her breakthrough performance of “Rescue Me” on “Shindig!” in black and white, first airing November 6, 1965:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJmz7UJK_CY

She was a very talented woman, her vocals at least were sung live. Dig that sixties black and white houndstooth, she looks good!

She’ll be missed.


18 posted on 12/27/2012 5:11:54 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
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To: Da Bilge Troll
Wonderful singer and nice looking too. RIP.


19 posted on 12/27/2012 5:22:13 PM PST by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: Menehune56; Publius; political1; capt. norm; Sivad; Revolting cat!; rightly_dividing; Vendome; ...
Updated article with much expanded bio:

Fontella Bass dies; singer of "Rescue Me" was a hit in U.S. and a bigger hit in Europe

20 posted on 12/28/2012 1:33:06 PM PST by Da Bilge Troll (Defeatism is not a winning strategy!)
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