Molton, Flora (1908–1990)
Molton, Flora (1908–1990)
American blues singer who influenced the Washington, D.C., jazz scene for more than half a century. Born in Louisa County, Virginia, in 1908; died in Washington, D.C., on May 31, 1990.
A guitarist as well as a singer, Flora Molton was a street performer who graduated to clubs and cabarets. Like many blues vocalists, she learned her art through gospel singing. At church, she played the organ and the accordion before moving on to the guitar which she strummed in the traditional bottleneck style. Molton moved to Washington, D.C., from rural Virginia in 1937. With jobs scarce, she supported herself by singing and playing on the city's streets. Gradually, she became a fixture in Washington's gospel and blues scene, a position she maintained for over 50 years. Although blues became big business, Molton's career harks back to its roots, when the music was performed by poor blacks in poverty-stricken conditions.
John Haag , Athens, Georgia