Researching for a brief piece (which I will post soon) about Ellington’s stay on la Côte d'Azur in 1966 led me to the website of jazz singer Lilian Terry. Her site includes a couple of fabulous photographs taken at Juan-les-Pins during Duke’s engagement there. The photograph below is captioned as follows:
Stevie James, Lilian Terry, Billy Strayhorn & Duke
Ellington
Antibes/Juan les Pins, 1966
The scene is the famous Hotel Provençal in Juan les Pins
during the Festival where I was invited as singer. I met Ellington and his
retinue and was practically abducted into his clan to the end of his days,
bless him! We were having "breakfast at midday" in his suite. I was
seated between his nephew Stevie James and immortal Billy 'Sweepea' Strayhorn who later wrote and sent me the lyrics to Star crossed
lovers.
This particular song is featured on Miss Terry’s 1982
album A Dream Comes True with Tommy Flanagan, Ed Thigpen, Jesper
Lundgard.
Here is Miss Terry’s beautiful recording.
It seems a while since Lilian Terry’s website has been
updated. If you have further information about the singer, please get in touch
via the comments page.
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