A Hollywood veteran will bring to life one of jazz’s greatest vocalists. Acclaimed actor and humanitarian Danny Glover has signed on to produce a large-scale biopic based on the life of legendary vocalist Dinah Washington.
The biopic will chronicle a two-week period in London following the success of Washington’s 1959 Grammy-winning crossover hit “What A Difference A Day Makes.” Veteran British playwright Winsome Pinnock will write the script for the film which will be produced by Rolling Fork Productions, who secured the life rights from Washington’s estate.
Born Ruth Lee Jones on August 29, 1924, Dinah Washington was one of the most popular female vocalists throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. She had a first top ten hit on the US pop charts with her version of “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes” which garnered her a GRAMMY award for Best Rhythm and Blues Performance in 1959. Dubbed the “Queen of the Blues,” Washington transcended various genres such as blues, R&B, traditional pop music and jazz. Washington passed away suddenly in 1963 at the age of 39, however her music was re-discovered in the 1980s when she was inducted into the Alabama Hall of Fame followed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Her songs have been covered by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, RAYE and Ledisi who recently released a tribute album, For Dinah, in 2025.