Various Artists – Divas Discovered 3 LP

3 Albums – 6 Artists.Aretha FranklinElla FitzgeraldPeggy LeeShirley BasseyEtta JamesJudy GarlandDivas! Literally translated as ‘deity’ or ‘goddess’, every female artist in this collection has earned this most prized of epithets. Spanning over 80 years, these women have become legendary for their talent, their attitudes, and their presence. In a culture that prizes youth and beauty over depth and experience, the fact that these divas rose to the top is testament to their musical prowess. In an industry that feeds on the next big thing, their longevity and enduring popularity speaks of their passion for the songs and their audiences’ unstinting adoration of them. Since the early 19th century, entertainment was one of the few professions that was open to women – provided they did not mind being labeled as disreputable for doing so the moment they ‘played for pay’. Many aspiring female singers and musicians had to satisfy their musical aspirations by playing at home for close friends an…