Ruby Bishop (1919-2019) was a popular jazz singer and pianist in the Pacific Northwest. Born and raised in Thurston County, Ms. Bishop moved to Seattle to attend University of Washington, but left school after a year to pursue a career in music. In addition to performing, she also worked for Boeing during World War II, and as a court reporter, beautician, and cabinet maker. Ms. Bishop also performed internationally, and was recruited by the U.S. Army to entertain G.I. troops stationed in South Korea and South Vietnam. Later, she had long-standing local gigs at Martins Off Madison and the Mayflower Hotel in Seattle, and beginning in 2010, at age 90, she played a weekly Sunday night show at Vito's restaurant until her retirement in 2017. In 2016, Ms. Bishop was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame.

This photo shows Ruby Bishop celebrating her 90th birthday at the Swedish Club in Seattle. At right is Don Rauf, of the New York band Life in a Blender. Rauf worked booking musical events at the Swedish Club for several years.

Caption information source: "Ruby Bishop, Seattle jazz artist and queen of the keys at Vito's, dies at 99," The Seattle Times, June 28, 2019, p. B2.
Caption information source: "Ruby Bishop (1919 – 2019)" contributed by Marianne Hanson. Retrieved at https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/bishop-ruby-1919/.