Arizona Dranes

Juanita "Arizona" Dranes (May 4,[1] 1889 or 1891 – July 27, 1963) was an American blind female gospel singer and pianist.

Her distinctive, nasal vocal style and piano playing that incorporated boogie and ragtime, influenced later gospel artists.

Corcoran's research found a probable cousin named "Doran," which would be pronounced "Drane" in the black southern dialect of the time.

She incorporated a syncopated, ragtime style in her gospel accompaniment and soon established the songs "I Shall Wear A Crown," "My Soul's a Witness for the Lord," and "Lamb's Blood Has Washed Me Clean" as COGIC standards.

She was one of the first professional women gospel singers and sang at COGIC meetings in the Bible Belt, touring Texas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma.

1926 advertisement for Okeh Records by Arizona Dranes and Louis Armstrong