Betty Carter

NBC Studio Noir invites you to listen to Betty Carter, jazz singer, songwriter, and recording industry executive.

.au (0.8 Mb), .gsm (0.1 Mb), Xing! (0.4 Mb), .ra (0.1 Mb),

For help on audio formats, press here.

What Makes Jazz So Special to Betty Carter?

This is a part of black culture, you know, that's very important
to me, you know.  I don't want it to disappear.  So the reason I
do what I do is to turn on a lot of young people, a lot of young
musicians and try to turn on an audience--a new audience each
time I sing.  So I hope that I'm making that kind of contribution
to keep a culture that might have gone down if it wasn't so
strong.  It is a strong culture.  A lot of people don't realize
that, but it is.  Jazz is really strong and so now I think it's
stronger than ever at this point now.  You know, so I'm glad I'm
alive now at this point to turn on so many people that need
turning on.  So that's what it's all about to me.  That's the
reason why I love it so; and because I can't do anything else
either!  This is all I've ever done - this is all I want to do. 
I don't want to do anything else.  I make a good living at it, I
raised my family with it and I'm doing pretty good so you know
I'm not uptight about it.  I love it.  That's my reason, that's
my motive.  I care.

Be sure to check out NBC's Studio Noir every weeknight in February to participate in our black music chat marathon!