User:Sohasheikh/Marianne Mayfield

Marianne Mayfield was a jazz singer in Portland, Oregon.

Personal life
Marianne Mayfield, a native of Fresno, was born in the year 1936, and grew up in Oakland, California. She began her career in grade school, playing the double bass. She met her first husband when she came to Portland, and had a child with him. In 1982, she married her second husband, Ray Hill.

Professional life
Marianne Mayfield spent over 30 years working as a jazz singer. When she arrived in Portland, she was part of an all woman vocal harmony trio called “The Three V’s.” In the mid 1960s, she was a member of the “Julian Henson Trio,” and later joined as a singer with the “Woody Hite Big Band.” Later in the 1970s, she led her own band groups within the Portland area; such as “Parchman Farm,” the “Prima Donna,” the “Jazz Quarry,” and the “Village Jazz.”

In the year 1991, her debut at the PDX Jazz Summit was shown on tv, creating a platform for many to see her name and face. In 1994, she released her CD, “Close Your Eyes."

Though music was her primary focus, Mayfield was also a grade school teacher at Glenhaven and Jason Lee school. She had a bachelor’s degree and teaching credentials from Portland State University in the year of 1972. She also served as a member of the Metropolitan Arts Commission.

Death and legacy
Mayfield was known for her work as a musician, but also remembered in her obituary as a caregiver to those around her. She died of liver cancer on October 20, 2004, in Springfield, Oregon.