VIVIANE GREENE
Singer and pianist Viviane Greene was born Willie Viviane Hoyt in Nacogdoches, TX, on June 19, 1918. She was the eldest of three children. Her parents, who were both school teachers, had her begin taking piano lessons at the age of four. Soon she was performing at church gatherings and other public events. Uncommonly intelligent and wise beyond her years, she graduated from high school when she was only 13, then enrolled at Prairie View A&M College where she met and eventually married vocalist Allen "Al" Greene. After graduation the newlyweds headed for Los Angeles. Greene, preparing for a career as a concert pianist, studied at the University of Southern California, where she earned a master's degree in music. Economic realities led her to performing in nightclubs, first at the Lucky Spot in Hollywood, where she took over Sylvester Scott's steady gig. Greene served as accompanist for vocalist Herb Jeffries, collaborated with Gladys Bentley, and made her first recordings in late 1947 for Trilon Records, a label produced out of San Francisco by Rene La Marre. Her first big hit was her own "Honey, Honey, Honey," a song that earned her lots of royalty payments when it was covered by Ray Charles, Hadda Brooks, Martha Davis, and many other enterprising entertainers. Between 1948 and 1955, Greene recorded for the Mercury, Modern, Decca, and Imperial labels in Los Angeles. In 1955, she and her husband moved to Denver, CO, where they performed and emceed at the lounge in the Rossonian Hotel. Over the next few years, Greene hosted a television program, led a choir, and opened a record store. Her first daughter, named Jade, died of lupus when she was only 12-years-old. Jade's little sister Susaye became a professional vocalist. Susaye was the last member of the Supremes to be signed by Motown and has worked with Harry Belafonte, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, New Birth, and Courtney Pine. Viviane Greene made some recordings for the Finer Arts label in 1962, but spent most of her time and energy during the '60s serving as a stagecraft tutor and vocal coach to Cheryl Lynn, Emanuel Lewis, and perhaps most notably Michael, Janet, and the rest of the Jackson family. Viviane Greene passed away on February 10, 1994, at the age of 75. She is best remembered for having advised and assisted quite a number of young artists as they took their first steps in show business, and for her tireless efforts to combat both sexism and racism in the entertainment industry.
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