Conversation: James Gavin, Author of New Lena Horne Biography

For many decades, Lena Horne was one of the best known and loved entertainers in the world, known for her talent and beauty. From her Cotton Club debut in the 1930s and her emergence as Hollywood’s most glamorous black star, to her Tony-award winning one-woman broadway show, “The Lady and Her Music.”

James Gavin, who has also written books about jazz musician Chet Baker and the golden age of Cabaret in New York, has just published a new biography on Horne. “Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne” looks at her career and the often troubled life behind it.

For more on Lena Horne from PBS, read a profile of Horne from American Masters and watch a classic Sesame Street clip of Horne singing with Kermit the Frog.