Photo: Atlantic Records / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Esther Phillips was credited as a singer, jazz musician and soul musician. Esther Phillips was born on December 23, 1935 in Galveston, Texas, United States. Death is recorded on August 7, 1984, at the age of 48.
My Take
Esther Phillips is one of those voices that haunts you. Born in Galveston, Texas, she was a teenage phenomenon as Little Esther before reinventing herself across blues, jazz, soul, and even country with Release Me. What moves me is not just her technique but the lived-in ache in her tone; she sang pain as though it were truth rather than performance. Losing her at forty-eight feels like a genuine loss to American music. Singers since have chased that raw, weathered honesty, and few have caught it. For me she is a reason to put a record on and simply listen.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Esther Phillips
- Name (Japanese)
- エスター・フィリップス
- Reading
- えすたー・ふぃりっぷす
- Born
- December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Boar
- Origin
- Galveston, Texas, United States
- Occupation
- singer / jazz musician / soul musician / musician
2. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther%20Phillips
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q283069
3. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Esther Phillips born?
Born December 23, 1935.
When did Esther Phillips die?
Died August 7, 1984, aged 48.
Where was Esther Phillips from?
Esther Phillips was from Galveston, Texas, United States.
What did Esther Phillips do?
Esther Phillips worked as singer, jazz musician, soul musician, musician.
Singer — see all → · Jazz musician — see all → · More people from the United States →