Leflore County, Mississippi (July 16, 1934 -January 8, 2018) age 83 yrs

Ora Denise Allen, known by the stage name Denise Lasalle, was an American Blues, R&B and soul singer. She was also a songwriter and record producer. Since the death of Koko Talor, she had been recognized as the “Queen of the Blues”. In 1947, when LaSalle was seven and the youngest of eight children, her entire family moved to Belzoni, Mississippi. At the age of 13, Lasalle was a principal singer with an all-female gospel ensemble, the Sacred Five. In 1986, LaSalle founded the National Association for the Preservation of the Blues. She aimed to lobby for the genre of soul and blues to stay connected to the artists. This was to give them a larger and excellent voice in the industry. “‘Hitting’ Where it Hurts,” released in 1989, rose to #61 on top R&B Albums. In 1998, LaSalle was nominated for the W.C. Handy Soul/Blues Female Artist of the Year. In 2015, she was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.