▼ At 88 years young Jon Hendricks has lived a life of which some only dream. For over half a century Hendricks has changed the ways in which vocal jazz is performed. Hendricks' creative genius lies in his prolific output of Vocalese, the art of setting lyrics to an established instrumental recording. From his vocalese lyric writing talents to his instrumental approach to improvisation, Hendricks revolutionized jazz singing and has become a historical icon in jazz. Like Art Tatum, Jon Hendricks spent his early years in Toledo Ohio and continues to be an important thread in the fabric of Toledo Jazz history. Using an oral history approach, this paper examines Jon Hendricks' early life, his influences and what led up to his most successful recording, "Sing a Song of Basie" with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. An in depth look into his childhood experiences in Toledo Ohio will be examined as a means of understanding Hendricks' process of becoming the iconic figure of the vocal jazz group Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross. The emergence of bebop in the United States during the 1940's, its translation into a vocal form known as vocalese, and how Jon Hendricks revolutionized lyric writing, guide this investigation. Advisors/Committee Members: Jex, David.