From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sun Feb 3, 2002  2:22 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Varetta Dillard
 
VARETTA DILLARD (By Shaun Mather)

Born 3 February 1933, Harlem, New York City
Died 4 October 1993, Brooklyn, New York City

Crippled from birth, Dillard became one of the raunchiest girl singers in
R&B history. Following a win at the famed Apollo Amateur contests in
1951, she was signed by the Savoy label. Her first hit for the label was
"Easy, Easy Baby" (# 8) in 1952, followed a year later by her signature
song, "Mercy, Mr Percy" (# 6). Her last top 10 hit was the 1955 tribute
to master marksman, Johnny Ace, "Johnny Has Gone" (# 6). Then she
was pacted to Groove, an RCA subsidiary. In 1957 she was transferred
to the main Victor label where she continued recording until the expiration
of her contract. She recorded subsequently for Triumph and Cub. Her
strong vocal style enabled her to continue her career in the sixties as a
gospel singer. In the late sixties she joined her husband's militant black
musical group, The Tri-Odds.
This true fine mama died of cancer at the age of sixty.

Recommended listening:
Got You On My Mind, Vol 1 - Bear Family
The Lovin' Bird, Vol 2 - Bear Family