Day 3: Minnie Riperton, Incredible Singer-Songwriter, Black American icon

"Memory Lane" is one of my favorite songs of the late great singer Minnie Riperton, and the title ties into the theme of Black History Month. Let's go back down memory lane:

To the left is a picture of the late singer Minnie Riperton, rocking her afro, looking absolutely stunning.

Minnie Julia Riperton (November 8, 1947 – July 12, 1979) was a Black American singer-songwriter. She hailed from South Side of Chicago, was formally trained in opera, and had a vocal range of five-and-a-half octaves (in case you're wondering, a five-and-a-half octave range is insane!!)

Riperton brought her own brand of soul and emotion to everything she sang, and her music is gorgeous. Her album "Come to My Garden" has lush orchestral arrangements and is an epic, super unique piece of 70s soul music. 

Riperton had two children, one of whom is actress/comedienne Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live, Bridesmaids, etc.). 

Riperton was one of the first celebrities ever to go public with her diagnosis of breast cancer and became a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. She died of breast cancer at the age of 31.

Day 3 of #BlackHistoryMonth2013

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