Remembering Rebecca Kilgore
September 24, 1949 – January 7, 2026
A tribute to the swing singer
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Rebecca Kilgore passed away on Jan. 7, 2026 at the age of 76.
She was born on Sept. 24, 1949 in Waltham, Massachusetts and was always attracted to the classic swing repertoire of the 1930s and ‘40s although she could stretch into later show tunes.
Kilgore, who also played rhythm guitar, had a tone in her voice that could recall Doris Day and a subtle but effective improvising style inspired by Maxine Sullivan; she had the knack of perfectly placing her notes for maximum swing.
Based in Portland, she was already 30 when she began her singing career, working with the Wholly Cats with whom she made her recording debut in 1982, also recording a fine album with drummer Hal Smith in 1983.
In the 1990s her career really took off and during the next 20 years she performed duets with pianist Dave Frishberg, worked in Portland with the Tall Jazz Trio, and appeared at jazz festivals and jazz parties with B.E.D., a quartet also featuring trombonist Dan Barrett, guitarist-singer Eddie Erickson, and bassist Joel Forbes.
Rebecca Kilgore recorded frequently, appearing on over 65 albums including with Frishberg, B.E.D., Hal Smith’s Roadrunners, Duke Heitzer, John Sheridan, Bob Wilber, Harry Allen, Bucky Pizzarelli, and as a leader.
Singing with subtle creativity and uplifting every song that she interpreted, Rebecca Kilgore was a popular attraction up until the time of her retirement due to her declining health around 2024.
Here is Rebecca Kilgore in 2004 with guitarist-singer Eddie Erickson, trombonist Dan Barrett, pianist Rossano Sportiello, and bassist Frank Tate singing “Who Walked In When I Walked Out.”
-Scott Yanow
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