It goes without saying about her musical importance and her influence on American culture. What I want to focus on is the above video clip from her appearance on the Cosby show. This is where I first encountered the voice of Lena Horne (don't judge me I'm only 23). I don't quite remember the exact date I saw it but I know it was somewhere around middle school. But what I do remember is my mom telling me how much she admired Lena Horne and how important she was to American culture. My mother was an accomplished theater performer and would go on and on about how Lena Horne was her inspiration during her days on stage. Every time this episode would come on television I'd run to her saying, "momma the Lena Horne episode is on!" We'd sit & watch and then she'd pull out her Lena Horne tapes and fill the house with Horne's spectacular voice. Thank you Lena Horne for inspiring my mother and being a driving force behind one of her most beloved hobbies.