"A free jazz voice; she had a floating quality that haunted me." Ray Charles

"The greatest pure jazz singer." Sarah Vaughan

Betty Carter represents more than just a turning point in musical history. She stands as a testament to the strength of musical dedication, holding on to fight for your dreams and never giving up on the things you love. "This lady is the only one of us who hasn't copped out. She's the only Jazz singer left." Carmen Mc Rae

The first woman to write, produce, record and distribute her music under her own recording label, Betty Carter re-wrote the book on musical self management.

"I had to record on my own label - I started back in 1969, in fact I think I was probably the first independent label out there in '69.  People thought I was crazy when I did it.  'How are you gonna get any distribution?'  I mean, 'How are you gonna take care of business and do that yourself?'  'Don't you need somebody else?'  I said, 'Listen. Nobody was comin' this way and I wanted the records out there, so I found out that I could do it myself.'  So, that's what I did.  It's the best thing that ever happened to me.  You know.  We're talking about '69!"

While some, at the time, questioned her for "bucking the system" back in 1969, today it is common practice for young performers to market themselves in just the same way. However, Bet-Car Records never had the benefits of today's recording technology which meant it was a huge expense and undertaking in 69 and the 70's.

In many ways, Betty Carter did the impossible. Not only by taking on the big recording studio giants but also by matching their sound quality and production values while all along, creating and perfecting the unique sound that can only be Betty Carter. "The December 1979 recordings that became The Audience with Betty Carter, are considered by some to be the finest vocal jazz recording ever made." Verve Music Group

"Hearing her sing 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' makes you want to curl up in front of the fire, even in summertime." President William Jefferson Clinton

"She didn't just play around with the melody. She deconstructed it and reinvented it in all kinds of interesting new ways." Bob Mariani, All about Jazz

"The finest jazz singer of the late 20th century." BBC RADIO

Betty Carter was known as one of the last of the true musical task masters and was considered to be the finest of jazz talent scouts. Thought of as much more than just another Grammy-winning vocalist. Betty Carter was recognized for her world wide appeal as an innovative force in the jazz community and is regarded as "the Godmother of jazz" due to her extensive work in the cultivation of young musical talent with such notable names as John Hicks, Mulgrew Miller, Clarence Penn, Lewis Nash, Chris Thomas, Michael Bowie, Curtis Lundy, Cyrus Chestnut, Dave Holland, Benny Green, Stephen Scott and Kenny Washington just to name a few.

In order to know Betty Carter you would have to know her struggle. As a woman in a predominately male industry she fought tremendous odds to get her due recognition and struggled for decades to stay true to her unique approach to the music she loved.

This web site is dedicated to her memory.