"Bobbi Humphrey carries the title of the ""First Lady of the Flute"" and the nickname is well deserved for this legendary jazz flutist who made history for her love of jazz-pop and her groundbreaking work. Humphrey was born in Marlin, Texas but grew up in Dallas. She first started honing her skills on the flute when she was in high school. That love for the instrument continued as she attended Texas Southern University and Southern Methodist University. While at college, she was heard by the legendary Dizzy Gillespie at a talent competition, who pushed Humphrey to pursue her career further in New York.Humphrey decided to take his advice and soon had a spot booked at the Apollo Theatre's Amateur Night. Not only did she wow crowds at the Apollo, she also soon got the play with Duke Ellington. Her quick rise to prominence included a record deal with Blue Note Records in 1971, a notable accomplishment because of her gender. The first album she released was 1971's Flute In. She stayed with Blue Note until 1976 and released Dig This in 1972, Blacks and Blues in 1973, Satin Doll in 1974 and Fancy Dancer in 1975. Her Blacks and Blues album was the most successful of the lot, gaining a following in the pop and the R&B industries as well as jazz.From Blue Note, Humphrey went to Epic Records. In 1977, she released Tailor Made. That same year, she was awarded the key to New Orleans, played with Stevie Wonder on his album, invited to play at the Montreux music festival and started Bobbi Humphrey Music Company. She followed with the album Freestyle in 1978 and The Good Life in 1979. She slowed her recordings in the 1980s, but still managed to make the charts at the end of the decade."
