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under
Freeman Roberts' direction. In 1989, it was reported that the Young Saints had about 150 participants. In 1993, Evelyn and Tommy Roberts received the Community Service Award in the Sixth Annual
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choir at the start of a postwar tour, but was fired several months later by Rev. Glynn T. Settle as her popularity quickly rivaled his; Tommy left the choir at the same time. They married and moved to
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later became a successful composer and arranger on many records between the 1950s and 1970s. Evelyn and Ernie performed as members of The
Freeman Family, and she also played piano in a
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incorporated in 1967, with the aim of providing free training in singing, dance, drama, television work and associated skills for young people, aged between 5 and 21, in
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Her orchestra, the Evelyn
Freeman Swing Band, which also included her brother Ernie, performed regularly at the Circle Ballroom, Oster's Ballroom, and on radio station
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Her family members include Ethan
Charles Noah Roberts, born on April 27, 2007, and Darius Jeremiah Thomas Roberts, born on June 12, 2006.
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162:(February 13, 1919 – May 5, 2017) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and educator. After an early career as a
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in 1960. In 1962, the single "Didn't It Rain" was issued on the small Bel Canto label before being reissued by the
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label in 1958; both tracks were co-written by
Freeman and Roberts. This was followed by the gospel-inspired album
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In the late 1950s, she reformed the Evelyn
Freeman Orchestra with new members, and it backed such singers as
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leader, she and her husband, Tommy
Roberts, established the Young Saints foundation for young performers in
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763:"'Long Way From Watts to White House': The Young Saints Go Marchin' in to Give the Disadvantaged a Break"
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309:. She continued to work as a composer and arranger for television, as well as for performers including
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Ohio Birth
Records. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio Vital Records Office Available at Ancestry.com (pay site)
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With her husband, Tommy
Roberts, she also established The Young Saints Scholarships Foundation, a
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Freeman
Roberts died in June 2017 at the age of 98. She died on her grandson-in-law's birthday.
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after a performance, she decided that she wanted to become a bandleader, and studied at the
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since its 1935 inception. Tommy recruited Evelyn to help compose material for the
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and began performing in the city's nightclubs scene, associating with
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680:“Didn't It Rain” by Evelyn Freeman & the Exciting Voices"
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652:"Come To Me My True Love"/"Let's Make A Little Motion"
301:label, and the ensemble also recorded with singer
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729:"'Saints' Brighten Poverty Outlook With the Arts"
499:"'Wings Over Jordan' Group Plans Mammoth Reunion"
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601:. Cleveland, Ohio. November 13, 1976. p. 5A
593:"Evelyn Freeman Roberts Pays Visit To Cleveland"
735:, September 26, 1989. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
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395:America's Registry of Outstanding Professionals
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819:20th-century African-American women singers
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336:. In 1970, the Young Saints performed for
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712:"Young Saints Return To Jonathan Winters"
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487:, June 2, 1997. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
771:. Los Angeles, California. pp. F1,
745:"Youth Foundation Leaders to Be Honored"
559:Williford, Stanley G. (April 17, 1983).
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869:21st-century African-American musicians
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570:. Los Angeles, California. pp. 37–
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654:, 45cat.com. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
283:Evelyn Freeman and The Exciting Voices
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809:20th-century American women pianists
561:"Young Saints Go Marching In—And Up"
874:21st-century African-American women
859:20th-century American women singers
839:Cleveland Institute of Music alumni
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429:"Evelyn Freeman Roberts: Biography"
348:Theater Awards. Evelyn and Tommy's
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761:Cimons, Marlene (April 12, 1970).
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497:Williams, June (April 13, 1957).
305:. In the mid-1960s, she moved to
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530:Williams, Bob (March 9, 1938).
478:"Jazzed in Cleveland - Part 24"
258:, in addition to arranging for
814:20th-century American pianists
686:blog. Retrieved August 5, 2014
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864:20th-century American singers
609:– via NewspaperArchive.
548:– via NewspaperArchive.
540:. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7B
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507:. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 2
204:Cleveland Institute of Music
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782:– via Newspapers.com.
702:. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
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398:. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
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854:Musicians from Los Angeles
718:, November 9, 1968, p. 21.
664:"Special Merit Spotlights"
362:The Friends of Distinction
824:African-American pianists
334:South Central Los Angeles
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849:Musicians from Cleveland
844:Imperial Records artists
834:American music arrangers
670:, April 11, 1960, p. 37.
392:Evelyn Freeman Roberts,
356:, along with members of
223:Ben "Bull Moose" Jackson
198:ensemble. After meeting
338:President Richard Nixon
231:Wings Over Jordan Choir
184:Gertrude Evelyn Freeman
31:Gertrude Evelyn Freeman
330:nonprofit organization
160:Evelyn Freeman Roberts
20:Evelyn Freeman Roberts
829:American bandleaders
716:Schenectady Gazette
628:, Imperial LP12043"
281:single credited to
225:. After the end of
483:2014-08-08 at the
463:2016-10-16 at the
768:Los Angeles Times
624:"Liner notes for
566:Los Angeles Times
433:The HistoryMakers
358:The 5th Dimension
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776:. Retrieved
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515:– via
511:December 24,
509:. Retrieved
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437:. Retrieved
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323:Sunset Strip
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282:
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256:Cab Calloway
252:Ethel Waters
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227:World War II
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168:gospel choir
159:
158:
146:Years active
117:choir leader
65:(2017-05-05)
804:2017 deaths
799:1919 births
778:January 12,
700:Discogs.com
605:January 11,
577:January 12,
544:January 11,
439:January 11,
354:Herb Alpert
342:White House
319:Louis Prima
315:Dean Martin
311:Bing Crosby
307:Los Angeles
303:Earl Nelson
172:Los Angeles
108:Occupations
63:May 5, 2017
793:Categories
749:L.A. Times
733:L.A. Times
638:2014-08-05
374:References
260:vaudeville
236:a cappella
164:swing band
137:Instrument
114:Bandleader
94:spirituals
42:1919-02-13
27:Birth name
668:Billboard
352:included
275:Las Vegas
267:Peggy Lee
240:spiritual
196:classical
178:Biography
150:1938–2017
126:volunteer
84:classical
49:Cleveland
626:Sky High
568:Calendar
481:Archived
461:Archived
350:protégés
291:Sky High
129:advocate
123:composer
120:arranger
340:in the
219:Indiana
215:US Navy
99:R&B
262:acts.
89:gospel
72:Genres
55:, U.S.
684:45rpm
346:NAACP
140:Piano
79:Swing
780:2022
607:2022
579:2022
546:2022
513:2021
441:2022
360:and
317:and
269:and
254:and
166:and
60:Died
53:Ohio
36:Born
773:F21
293:on
287:Dot
273:in
211:WHK
186:in
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765:.
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