Lola Falana

Loletha Elayne Falana (born September 11, 1942), better known by her stage name Lola Falana is an American singer, dancer, and actress. 2Early life and career Falana's father left Cuba to become a welder in the United States, where he met his wife. She spent most of her childhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By the age of three she was dancing, and by age five she was singing in the church choir. By the time she was in junior high school, she was already dancing in nightclubs to which she was escorted by her mother. Pursuing a musical career became so important to Falana that, against her parents' wishes, she left Germantown High School a few months before graduation and moved to New York City. 2Career Her first dancing gig was at "Small's Paradise" in Harlem. Dinah Washington, the “Queen of Blues”, was influential in fostering Lola’s early career. While dancing in a nightclub, Falana was discovered by Sammy Davis Jr., who gave her a featured role in his 1964 Broadway musical Golden Boy. Her first single, "My Baby", was recorded for Mercury Records in 196