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Waters was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, the
daughter of a twelve-year old mother who had been
raped by a white man. She died in Los Angeles,
California.

Waters obtained her first Harlem club job around
1919 at Edmond's Cellar, a typical club of the
period and area patroned by a black audience. 
Along with Fletcher Henderson and sponsored under
Black Swan Records, she toured with the Black Swan
Dance Masters.  She stated that Henderson tended
to perform in a more classical style than she
would prefer, often lacking "the damn-it-to-hell
bass".  According to Waters, she influenced him to
practice in a "real jazz" style. She was later
recorded by Columbia Records in 1925; this
recording was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in
1998.  During the 20s, she performed and/or was
recorded with the ensembles of Will Marion Cook,
Lovie Austin, Fletcher Henderson

As her career continued, she evolved toward being
a pop and broadway singer performing with artists
like Duke Ellington.  She was nominated for a Best
Supporting Actress Academy Award in 1949 for the
film "Pinky".  In 1950, she won the New York Drama
Critics Award.  In the period before her death,
she toured with Billy Graham.

She was posthumously recognized in 1984 by the
Gospel Music Association where her name was placed
in its Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

==Awards and recognitions==

* Academy Award, Best Supporting Actress
nomination in 1949
* Gospel Music Hall of Fame, 1984
* Grammy Hall of Fame Award, 1998

She was also in Cabin in the Sky

==References==
# Southern, Eileen. The Music of Black Americans:
A History. W. W. Norton & Company; 3rd edition.
ISBN 0393971414
# Alexander, Scott. 
http://www.redhotjazz.com/waters.html The Red Hot
Jazz Archives: Ethel Waters .