The Sound of Young America: Betty Davis

22nd February 2009

Betty Davis is a legend of soul and funk music. The one-time wife of Miles Davis introduced the jazzman to Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone and the broad world of electric music, leading him to create “Bitches Brew.” She recorded three albums of her own in the 1970s, full of raw, sexy, outrageous funk. The first […]

Episode notes

Betty Davis is a legend of soul and funk music. The one-time wife of Miles Davis introduced the jazzman to Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone and the broad world of electric music, leading him to create “Bitches Brew.” She recorded three albums of her own in the 1970s, full of raw, sexy, outrageous funk. The first two, “Betty Davis” and “They Say I’m Different” have been re-released by the Seattle label Light in the Attic Records.

Davis left the music industry in the late 1970s, and has been completely absent from the public eye since — at one point, a fan had to track her down in the suburbs of Pittsburgh to get her $40,000 in songwriting royalties.

This is her first radio interview since her performing days.

You might also enjoy these past programs:
Soul Sides with Dr. Oliver Wang
Southern Soul: Devin the Dude and Stax Records (MP3)
The College Years: Swamp Dogg

Our intersititial music is provided by Dan Wally

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Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture.

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