Thelma Carpenter, born on January 15, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York, was an American jazz singer and actress. She began her career as a child performer with her own radio show on WNYC and won an amateur night at the Apollo Theatre in 1938. Carpenter started her music career as a band vocalist with Teddy Wilson's orchestra in 1939, recording "Love Grows on the White Oak Tree" and "This Is the Moment" for Brunswick Records. She joined Coleman Hawkins' orchestra in 1940 and later became Count Basie's vocalist in 1943, recording hits such as "I Didn't Know About You". As a solo artist, she recorded for various labels, including Majestic Records, Musicraft Records, Columbia Records, RCA Victor Records, and Coral Records. Her answer-record to Elvis Presley, "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight", reached number 55 in the Billboard Top 60 in 1961. Carpenter's television appearances began as early as the 1940s, including shows like Cavalcade of Stars with Jackie Gleason and Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town. She was prominently featured on the 1993 NBC special Apollo Theater Hall of Fame. In addition to her music career, Carpenter had a notable acting career, starring in films such as The Wiz, where she played "Miss One", the Good Witch of the North. She died from cardiac arrest on May 14, 1997 in New York.
