Sometimes I'm Happy Vaughan Sarah br br Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990) was well known for her vocal range, which ranged from soprano to baritone and her signature beautiful vibrato. She was musically trained from a very young age and was renowned for her talent in interpreting songs and improvising. br In the 1970s and 1980s, her lower vocal range increased, allowing her to sing the baritone range while still being able to use her existing soprano range. She normally sang in the contralto and alto range. br Jazz critic Leonard Feather called her "the most important singer to emerge from the bop era." Ella Fitzgerald called her the world's "greatest singing talent." During the course of a career that spanned nearly fifty years, she was the singer's singer, influencing everyone from Mel Torme to Anita Baker. She was among the musical elite identified by their first names. She was Sarah, Sassy -- the incomparable Sarah Vaughan.