Bessie Griffin; Noted Gospel Singer

Bessie Griffin, 67, a contralto whose gospel singing style was likened to that of Mahalia Jackson and Bessie Smith. A native of New Orleans, Miss Griffin appeared there with the Southern Harps, a group that once included Linda Hopkins. She later joined the Caravans in Chicago before founding the Gospel Pearls in Los Angeles in the 1950s. The latter group was among the first to move outside churches and into nightclubs and musical festivals. They also were seen on television on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “Hootenanny” while recording for several labels. Most recently Miss Griffin had appeared as a solo singer in Los Angeles churches. In Culver City on Monday of cancer.