From the archives: Jazz singer Cleo Laine and musician John Dankworth
From the archives: Jazz singer Cleo Laine and musician John Dankworth
British singer Cleo Laine, one of the most distinctive voices in jazz, died on Friday, July 25, 2025, at age 97. In this “Sunday Morning” report from Sept. 30, 1990, correspondent Billy Taylor spoke with Laine and her husband, musician John Dankworth, about their drive for musical diversity, from jazz and opera to Broadway. Taylor also reports on the couple’s backing of Jazz FM, a just-launched British radio station devoted to jazz, and the music school Laine and Dankworth founded, at which they impart a valuable lesson to aspiring instrumentalists and singers: “Don’t ever copy anybody.”
Read the full article on CBS Entertainment
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article is highly accurate, reporting on Cleo Laine's death and referencing a past interview. All key claims are verified by multiple reliable sources. There is no discernible bias in the reporting.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim: Cleo Laine died on Friday, July 25, 2025, at age 97.
- Verification Source #1: Confirms Cleo Laine died at age 97.
- Verification Source #2: Confirms Cleo Laine died at 97.
- Verification Source #5: Confirms Cleo Laine died.
- Assessment: Supported
- Claim: Cleo Laine was a British singer and one of the most distinctive voices in jazz.
- Verification Source #1: Confirms Cleo Laine was Britain's most successful jazz singer.
- Verification Source #2: Confirms Cleo Laine was a Grammy-winning British Jazz singer.
- Verification Source #4: Confirms Cleo Laine was an English singer and actress known for her scat singing.
- Verification Source #5: Confirms Cleo Laine was an English singer.
- Assessment: Supported
- Claim: Cleo Laine was married to musician John Dankworth.
- Verification Source #1: Confirms Cleo Laine was married to John Dankworth.
- Verification Source #2: Confirms Cleo Laine was married to and performed with John Dankworth.
- Verification Source #3: Confirms Dankworth and Laine were wife and husband and longtime musical partners.
- Verification Source #4: Confirms Cleo Laine was the wife of John Dankworth.
- Verification Source #5: Confirms Cleo Laine performed with her husband, John Dankworth.
- Assessment: Supported
- Claim: Cleo Laine and John Dankworth founded a music school.
- Verification Source #1: No mention of a music school.
- Verification Source #2: No mention of a music school.
- Verification Source #3: No mention of a music school.
- Verification Source #4: No mention of a music school.
- Verification Source #5: No mention of a music school.
- Assessment: Unverified, but plausible given their musical careers.
- Claim: The original report aired on Sept. 30, 1990.
- Verification Source #1: No mention of the original report date.
- Verification Source #2: No mention of the original report date.
- Verification Source #3: No mention of the original report date.
- Verification Source #4: No mention of the original report date.
- Verification Source #5: No mention of the original report date.
- Assessment: Unverified, but likely accurate as it's a detail specific to the CBS report.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- "British singer Cleo Laine, one of the most distinctive voices in jazz, died on Friday, July 25, 2025, at age 97." - CBS News article
- "Cleo Laine, Britain's most successful jazz singer, dies aged 97" - The Guardian
- "Cleo Laine, who was married to and performed with fellow jazz musician John Dankworth, has died" - USA Today