Rebecca Kilgore, acclaimed interpreter of the American Songbook, dies at 76

Rebecca Kilgore, a jazz singer celebrated for her interpretations of the Great American Songbook, died on Jan. 7 in Portland, Ore. She was 76. The cause of death, at a hospice facility, was Lewy body dementia, her husband, Dick Titterington, said. Long based in Portland and recorded on small labels, Ms.

Kilgore was praised for a pure, elegant tone, impeccable swing and adventurous taste that helped reinvigorate pop standards from the 1920s to the 1940s. She was a frequent partner of the songwriter and pianist Dave Frishberg, who called her technique “flawless,” and was commended by Michael Feinstein, who called her “one of the great contemporary interpreters of American popular song” and a musical “detective.” Almost entirely self-taught, she began her professional career late, joining a swing-revival group after working as a secretary at Reed College in 1981.

Apprenticeships with jazz, folk and country-swing bands led to a long stint at the Heathman Hotel bar in the 1990s and to recordings for Arbors and other labels, including tribute albums to Jimmy Van Heusen, Frank Loesser and Jerome Kern. Reviewers singled out later projects such as the 2019 album Winter Days at Schloss Elmau for imaginative arrangements and poise.

She is survived by her husband, Dick Titterington, and her sister, Jane Kilgore, known as Jenny.

Key Topics

Culture, Rebecca Kilgore, Portland Oregon, Dave Frishberg, Michael Feinstein, Great American Songbook