One of the most influential of popular singers, Ethel Waters’ early career found her working in vaudeville. She is reputedly the first singer to perform W.C. Handy’s "St. Louis Blues" in public, and later popularized "Stormy Weather," "Travellin’ All Alone," and "Dinah." From the late-'20s on, Waters appeared in several Broadway musicals, including BLACKBIRDS OF 1930, RHAPSODY IN BLACK, and CABIN IN THE SKY. In the '30s she appeared in several films, including, once again, CABIN IN THE SKY, and THE SOUND AND THE FURY. In the '50s, she returned to Broadway with her own show, AN EVENING WITH ETHEL WATERS. At this time, she also wrote a well-received autobiography, HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW.