B.J. Crosby (November 23, 1952 â€" March 27, 2015) was an American
jazz vocalist, singer, and actress. In 1995, Crosby received a Tony
Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical nomination for her
performance in the musical, Smokey Joe's Cafe. Her role in Smokey
Joe's Cafe included solo parts in the songs "Hound Dog" and "Fools
Fall in Love".Crosby was born Joanne Crayton in New Orleans,
Louisiana. Crayton began her career by singing in church choirs and
local theaters during the 1970s and 1980s. She adopted "B.J. Crosby"
and "Lady BJ" as her professional stage names.Crosby was the lead
singer of an R&B and jazz band called Spectrum during the late 1970s.
During the mid-1980s, Crosby, Ellis Marsalis Jr., and Germaine Bazzle
released an album called The New Orleans Music on Rounder Records.
Crosby moved to Los Angeles in 1987 to pursue singing and acting. She
worked as a singer of demo versions of songs written by professional
songwriters to support herself. In 1995, she moved to New York City,
where she appeared in the musical Smokey Joe's Cafe, for which she
received a Tony Award nomination in 1995 for Best Featured Actress in
a Musical. She appeared on the Smokey Joe's Cafe official Broadway
album, which won a Grammy Award. Crosby was also invited to perform
How Long Has This Been Going On? at the Royal Albert Hall, London for
Who Could Ask for Anything More? to mark the centenary of Ira
Gershwin's birth in 1996.Following her success, she returned to
Broadway for two more roles. She starred as Matron "Mama" Morton in
the 1996 Broadway revival of Chicago and played Ma Reed in the 2002
Broadway debut of One Mo' Time. Her national tours included
Dreamgirls, in which she was cast as Effie. Outside of the theater,
she had guest roles on Ally McBeal, The Cosby Show, Family Matters,
Gimme a Break!, Law & Order, and Mad About You. Her 1984 cable
television special, "Lady BJ Sings Lady Day: A Tribute to Billie
Holiday", won a CableACE Award.
jazz vocalist, singer, and actress. In 1995, Crosby received a Tony
Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical nomination for her
performance in the musical, Smokey Joe's Cafe. Her role in Smokey
Joe's Cafe included solo parts in the songs "Hound Dog" and "Fools
Fall in Love".Crosby was born Joanne Crayton in New Orleans,
Louisiana. Crayton began her career by singing in church choirs and
local theaters during the 1970s and 1980s. She adopted "B.J. Crosby"
and "Lady BJ" as her professional stage names.Crosby was the lead
singer of an R&B and jazz band called Spectrum during the late 1970s.
During the mid-1980s, Crosby, Ellis Marsalis Jr., and Germaine Bazzle
released an album called The New Orleans Music on Rounder Records.
Crosby moved to Los Angeles in 1987 to pursue singing and acting. She
worked as a singer of demo versions of songs written by professional
songwriters to support herself. In 1995, she moved to New York City,
where she appeared in the musical Smokey Joe's Cafe, for which she
received a Tony Award nomination in 1995 for Best Featured Actress in
a Musical. She appeared on the Smokey Joe's Cafe official Broadway
album, which won a Grammy Award. Crosby was also invited to perform
How Long Has This Been Going On? at the Royal Albert Hall, London for
Who Could Ask for Anything More? to mark the centenary of Ira
Gershwin's birth in 1996.Following her success, she returned to
Broadway for two more roles. She starred as Matron "Mama" Morton in
the 1996 Broadway revival of Chicago and played Ma Reed in the 2002
Broadway debut of One Mo' Time. Her national tours included
Dreamgirls, in which she was cast as Effie. Outside of the theater,
she had guest roles on Ally McBeal, The Cosby Show, Family Matters,
Gimme a Break!, Law & Order, and Mad About You. Her 1984 cable
television special, "Lady BJ Sings Lady Day: A Tribute to Billie
Holiday", won a CableACE Award.
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