Dakota Staton

Dakota Staton (June 3, 1930 – April 10, 2007) was an American jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the 1957 No. 4 hit "The Late, Late Show". She was also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period due to her conversion to Islam as interpreted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Biography Born in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she attended George Westinghouse High School, a black Antigua-born Ahmadi Muslim, a jazz trumpeter and noted critic of Elijah Muhammad. She subsequently converted to Islam and used the name Aliyah Rabia for some time. The marriage ultimately ended in divorce. she continued to record semi-regularly, her recordings taking an increasingly strong gospel and blues influence. She suffered a stroke in 1999, after which her health deteriorated. Staton died in New York City aged 76 in 2007.

Discography The Late, Late Show (Capitol, 1957) Dynamic! (Capitol, 1958) In the Night with George Shearing (Capitol, 1958) Time to Swing (Capitol, 1959) More Than the Most (Capitol, 1959) Crazy He Calls Me (Capitol, 1959) Sings Ballads and the Blues (Capitol, 1960) Softly (Capitol, 1960) Dakota (Capitol, 1960) 'Round Midnight (Capitol, 1961) Dakota at Storyville (Capitol, 1962) From Dakota with Love (United Artists, 1962) Live and Swinging (United Artists, 1964) Dakota Staton with Strings (United Artists, 1964) Dakota '67 (London, 1966) I've Been There (Verve, 1970) Madame Foo-Foo (Groove Merchant, 1972) I Want a Country Man (Groove Merchant, 1973) Ms. Soul (Groove Merchant, 1974) Uniquely Dakota (Half Moon, 1983) No Man Is Going to Change Me (GP, 1985) Dakota Staton with Manny Albam (LRC, 1990) Dakota Staton (Muse, 1991) Moonglow (LRC, 1991) Darling Please Save Your Love for Me (Muse, 1992) Isn't This a Lovely Day (Muse, 1995) Congratulations (Giants of Jazz, 1999) A Packet of Love Letters (HighNote, 1999) Congratulations to Someone (LRC, 2002) Live at Milestones (Caffe Jazz, 2007)