Ledisi Announces Dinah Washington Tribute Album, Shares ‘This Bitter Earth’
Grammy-winning singer Ledisi will honor legendary blues and jazz singer Dinah Washington with a tribute album, For Dinah.
The album, set to release Oct. 3 via Listen Back Entertainment/Candid Records, was produced by jazz titan Christian McBride and Ledisi’s frequent collaborator Rex Rideout.
For Dinah will include a duet with Gregory Porter and feature contributions from musicians such as Paul Jackson Jr. and Michael King.
“She gave me permission to move freely, create freely, be a woman in leadership, wear and say what I want,” Ledisi says of her connection to Washington. She continues, “Before there was Aretha, there was Dinah. She deserves to be recognized in today’s music as well. So instead of asking me ‘Why Dinah?,’ you should be asking ‘Why not Dinah?’”
Regarding her decision to pay homage to Washington, Ledisi notes, “I felt her pain, her rejection. This is where I come from — and this is my way of saying her name out loud.”
Along with the announcement of her new album, Ledisi has shared the lead single, “This Bitter Earth,” a cover of Washington’s 1960 aching ballad. The original song, written and produced by Clyde Otis, appeared on her album Unforgettable.
Aretha Franklin later covered the song for her 1964 album, Unforgettable: A Tribute To Dinah Washington. Other vocalists, including Miki Howard, Gladys Knight and Deborah Cox, also covered the stirring tune.
Speaking on “This Bitter Earth,” Ledisi shares, “This song is so reflective of any era, especially in such a chaotic time as this. People need music right now, and this song is a beautiful sentiment depicting a longing for life being filled with love. When I hear Dinah, I hear that longing. It’s a perfect way to announce my tribute to The Queen of The Blues.”
She adds, “Dinah and Aretha inspired me to want to sing this song. My version, arranged by the great Christian McBride, blends that longing, soulfulness of soul, jazz and blues together smoothly with a contemporary/classic sound. I’m grateful to create art that displays my love for being a hybrid of music.”
“This Bitter Earth” arrives with a live in-studio performance by Ledisi, which can be watched below.
For Dinah follows Ledisi’s 14th album, The Crown, which was released April 25. The empowering project included the singles “Love You Too” and “BLKWMN.” The latter was a heartfelt tribute to Black women of the past, present and future.
Ledisi, a classically trained jazz vocalist, is no stranger to honoring her musical heroes. In 2021, she released Ledisi Sings Nina, a tribute album to the High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone. The project earned Ledisi a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Grammy Awards.
The following year, she starred as the Queen of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson, in Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story.
Listen to Ledisi’s cover of Dinah Washington’s “This Bitter Earth” below.
Ledisi’s For Dinah Album Tracklist
- What A Difference A Day Made
- If I Never Get To Heaven
- Caravan
- Let’s Do It
- You Don’t Know What Love Is (feat. Christian McBride)
- You’ve Got What It Takes (feat. Gregory Porter)
- You Go To My Head (feat. Paul Jackson Jr.)
- The Bitter Earth
Preorder/presave Ledisi’s For Dinah here.
Ledisi’s 2025 Tour Dates
North America Tour Dates
Sep 19 – Paradise Island, Bahamas @ Bahama Breeze Music Festival
Sep 27 – Monterey Park, CA @ Monterey Jazz Festival 2025
Oct 2 – Chandler, AZ @ Chandler Center For The Arts
Oct 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall [Album Release Show]
Oct 5 – Davis, CA @ Mondavi Center
Oct 6 – San Francisco, CA @ Davies Symphony Hall
Jan 20–27, 2026 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Christian McBride’s World At Sea 2026
Europe Tour Dates
Jul 18 – Warsaw, Poland @ Łazienki Park
Jul 19 – Kraków, Poland @ Botanical Garden Of The Jagiellonian University
Oct 9 – London, UK @ O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Oct 10 – Aulnay-sous-Bois, France @ Le Nouveau Cap
Oct 13 – Madrid, Spain @ Sala Villanos
Oct 14 – Barcelona, Spain @ Sala Apolo
Oct 15 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ TivoliVredenburg
Oct 16 – Den Haag, Netherlands @ PAARD
Oct 17 – Duivendrecht, Netherlands @ Poppodium Q-Factory
Oct 18 – Hautmont, France @ Centre Culturel Maurice Schumann
Oct 21 – Skellefteå, Sweden @ Sara Kulturhus
Oct 23 – Oslo, Norway @ Cosmopolite Scene
Oct 24 – Malmö, Sweden @ Victoriateatern Malmö
Oct 25 – Zagreb, Croatia @ Kino SC
Jan 17, 2026 – Lugano, Switzerland @ LAC Lugano Arte E Cultura
Get tickets at ledisi.com.