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Lil Green

1919 – 1954

American blues singer and songwriter

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About Lil Green

Lived 1919 – 1954 (aged 34). Lil Green was an American singer-songwriter, composer, singer, musician and singing.

Life and career Originally named Lillian Green or Lillie May Johnson,

Green was noted for superb timing and a distinctively sinuous voice. In the 1930s, she and Big Bill Broonzy had a nightclub act together. which was later covered by many artists, such as Dinah Washington and Nina Simone (in 1967) (Billie Holiday recorded a different song with the same title), and Green's 1941 version of Kansas Joe McCoy's minor-key blues- and jazz-influenced song "Why Don't You Do Right?",

By 1949, Green had changed direction with the foresight to become a jazz vocalist, and tried to emulate the jazz style of Billie Holiday. She signed with Atlantic Records in 1951, but at this point was already in poor health. She died of pneumonia in Chicago in April 1954 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, in Gary, Indiana.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Also known as
Lillian Green, Lillie May Johnson

People in Lil Green's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Lil Green's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Lil Green?

American blues singer and songwriter (1919–1954)

When was Lil Green born?

Lil Green was born on 22 December 1919 in Mississippi.

When did Lil Green die?

Lil Green died on 14 April 1954 in Chicago.

What was Lil Green's occupation?

Lil Green was a singer-songwriter, composer, singer, musician and singing.

What nationality was Lil Green?

Lil Green was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Lil Green

· Wikidata: Q273172

· DBpedia: Lil Green

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Lil Green. https://biography.guide/lil-green/

MLA: "Lil Green." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/lil-green/.

Chicago: "Lil Green." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/lil-green/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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