“Her association with a man called Paul Robeson was one reason and the belief that Horne was a “Communist Sympathizer” was another.”
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If she was deemed that based on Senator McCarthy or the HUAC, then she almost certainly was a Commie sympathizer and/or supporter, AKA a useful idiot. Despite foundational liberal dogma, the Commie hunters of the late 40’s and early 50’s accuracy was near 100%.
Dunno about her communist sympathies but the comments about segregation in this article are another cheap attempt to work the media's favorite subject in. Like they always do.
Her real talent was as a great self-promoter. She had an outlandishly huge ego that I always found irritating, and she never sang a single note that made me say, "Wow!"
As for Robeson, his voice was huge and resonant, but certainly not beautiful, flexible and wide-ranging as some of the great bassos of his day like Pinza, Siepi or Kipnis. His wild, uncontrolled vibrato makes his voice unlistenable for me.
An amazing talent and a beautiful lady however;
In the 40s Lena wasn’t singing much to mixed audiences. She fought for the right to perform for mixed audiences. In the 50s the name Lena Horne could be found blacklisted. Her association with a man called Paul Robeson was one reason and the belief that Horne was a “Communist Sympathizer” was another.
She also spent a life time knowing that she was equal to everyone else and trying to teach that to others.
A. Communism teaches (but seldom practices) that everyone is equal.
B. A woman of singular talent such as this tryingto teach that everyone is equal? So a homely fat girl with a screechy voice was the equal of Lena Horne?
I think not.
Lena Horne was a great jazz singer, at least I thought so. I think her stance on wanting to sing to “mixed” audiences is understandable. I was but a kid when she was fighting as a black and as a woman to be “equal” in an industry that was hard and unforgiving towards both.
Sometimes I just like to enjoy something. ie. Lena Horne singing. Sometimes I don’t want to get mudded down in the side traffic of who someone was or what someone was.
I am really glad that not everyone knows how I believed when I was a young pup. I have grown, learned and changed over the years. I guess I’m trying to say I don’t know how Lena thought. I don’t really care..I just liked her music.
