Dinah Washington
Mezzo-soprano · Jazz · Blues · R&B · USA · prominent since 1946
How Dinah Washington uses that range
Washington places everything in the mask: bright, twangy, almost brass-section resonance with total consonant clarity. Her vibrato is fast and shallow, switched on the instant a note stabilizes. Phrasing is strict — she sings on the front of the beat, bends a blue third, then cuts the note clean with no fade. Gospel-style ornaments stay small and rhythmic, never washy. The common copying mistake is adding smoke and slide; her power is precision. Keep the soft palate high, the tone pointed, and end each note on purpose, not by decay.
What is Dinah Washington’s vocal range?
Dinah Washington's vocal range is commonly cited as D#3 (Eb3) to E5 — about 2.1 octaves, or 25 semitones, and is usually classified as mezzo-soprano.
Bright, brassy, gospel-cut mezzo with razor diction; every syllable lands like a snapped snare.
- Signature song
- What a Diff'rence a Day Makes
Reading the numbers
- No separate full-voice ceiling is cited, so the figures describe a range worked largely in full voice across its 25 semitones.
- The closest range in the library belongs to Angélique Kidjo (E3–E5), within 1 semitone at both ends.
- Ranked by bottom note, it is the 492nd lowest voice in this library; by top note, the 403rd highest.
Commonly cited figures, not lab measurements — extreme notes are one-off recorded moments, not the singer’s everyday range.
More about Dinah Washington’s voice
How high can Dinah Washington sing?
Dinah Washington is commonly cited singing as high as E5, the top of a cited range that starts down at D#3.
What is Dinah Washington’s highest note?
Dinah Washington’s highest note is commonly cited as E5, heard in Blue Gardenia.
What is Dinah Washington’s lowest note?
Dinah Washington’s lowest note is commonly cited as D#3 (Eb3), heard in Manhattan.
How many octaves can Dinah Washington sing?
Dinah Washington’s commonly cited range spans about 2.1 octaves (25 semitones), from D#3 up to E5. That span is wider than 13% of the 636 voices in this library.
Take the free 2-minute range test — your mic finds your lowest and highest notes, then this page shows exactly how your voice lines up with Dinah Washington’s.
Also bottoming out on D#3
8 other voices here are cited to the same floor.
Also topping out on E5
44 other voices here reach the same ceiling.