Linda Hopkins

Linda Hopkins stood out from the early 1950s as a leading figure whose vocal command was matched by extensive experience on stage. Her recordings spanned classic, traditional, and urban blues alongside R&B, soul, jazz, and theatrical numbers, each delivered with polished assurance. Longstanding admiration for Bessie Smith earned her strong reviews when she portrayed the singer in the stage show Jazz Train. Releases appeared on many labels, yet her only chart success was the 1963 Brunswick duet with Jackie Wilson; “Shake a Hand” reached number 21 on the R&B chart and fell just short of the top 20. She stayed active across subsequent decades, though new material remained scarce, especially on U.S. domestic imprints. Hopkins died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in April 2017 at the age of 92.