▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 5 4 ) ▁is ▁a ▁jazz ▁singer ▁who ▁spent ▁much ▁of ▁her ▁career ▁with ▁The ▁Manh attan ▁Transfer . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁B enty ne ▁started ▁singing ▁at ▁age ▁th ir teen ▁with ▁her ▁father ' s ▁D ix iel and ▁and ▁swing ▁band . ▁Following ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁Mount ▁Vern on ▁High ▁School , ▁she ▁en rolled ▁at ▁Sk agit ▁Valley ▁College ▁and ▁studied ▁music ▁and ▁the ater . ▁She ▁moved ▁to ▁Seattle ▁in ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁sang ▁with ▁John ▁Hol te ' s ▁New ▁De al ▁Rh ythm ▁Band . ▁The ▁N DR B ▁trom bon ist ▁Gary ▁McK a ig ▁gave ▁her ▁an ▁album ▁by ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁Transfer . ▁After ▁four ▁years ▁in ▁Seattle , ▁she ▁moved ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁ ▁The ▁Manh attan ▁Transfer ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁B enty ne ▁became ▁the ▁permanent ▁replacement ▁for ▁singer ▁La ure l ▁Mass é , ▁who ▁left ▁the ▁group ▁after ▁being ▁injured ▁in ▁an ▁autom obile ▁accident . ▁Her ▁first ▁appearance ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁album ▁Ext ensions ▁( 1 9 7 9 ), ▁which ▁won ▁the ▁group ▁its ▁first ▁Gram my ▁Award , ▁Best ▁Jazz ▁F usion ▁Performance ▁for ▁a ▁vocal ese ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁song ▁" B ird land " ▁by ▁We ather ▁Report . ▁B enty ne ▁won ▁ten ▁Gram my ▁Awards ▁with ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁Transfer , ▁including ▁awards ▁for ▁her ▁arrangement ▁of ▁" An other ▁Night ▁in ▁Tun