| Birth: | Jul. 3, 1940
Saint Louis
St. Louis County
Missouri, USA | | Death: | Dec. 27, 2012
Saint Louis
St. Louis County
Missouri, USA | 
Rhythm and Blues and Soul Singer. Known for her 1965 hit record "Rescue Me". Fontella was the daughter of gospel singer Martha Bass of the Clara Ward Singers. Born and raised in St. Louis, she quickly showed herself to have impressive musical talent. She played the piano in church at 5 and was singing by the following year. She graduated from Soldan High School in 1958 and later that year was singing professionally at the famed Showboat Blues Club. By 1965 she recorded 2 soul singles with Bobby McClure, "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing" and "You'll Miss Me (When I'm Gone)". Later that same year, signed to Chess Records, she recorded "Rescue Me", which became a huge hit. It reached #4 on the pop charts and #1 on the R & B charts, and earned Chess Records the first gold record in 10 years. The song is forever linked to Fontella and has become an iconic song heard in numerous motion pictures. She had several hits over the next 2 years, "Recovery", I Can't Rest", "I Surrender", "You'll Never Ever Know", "Safe and Sound", "Lucky in Love" and "Sweet Lovin' Daddy", but she never again struck gold as she did with "Rescue Me". Her younger brother David Peaston was also a successful soul singer. Bass retired from music to concentrate on raising her 4 children with her husband Lester Bowie. She was honored on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 2000, but in 2005 she suffered a series of strokes and finally passed away at a hospice in St. Louis in 2012. She was known as the "Queen of St. Louis Soul". A large musical celebration and memorial service took place on Friday, January 4, 2013 at Shalom Church in Florissant, Missouri. (bio by: R. C. Anderson)
Search Amazon for Fontella Bass | | | Burial:
Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend. |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Lucy Caldarelli
Record added: Dec 27, 2012
Find A Grave Memorial# 102705433 |
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