Shirley Horn生于美国华盛顿特区，早在1960年，Shirley Horn就被爵士演奏大师Miles Davis邀请同台演出。出道四十余年，至今已经发行专辑数十张，六次被提名格莱美，于1998年获第四十一届格莱美最佳爵士歌手大奖。

Shirley Horn以她的优雅歌声以及灵敏的钢琴，建立她的音乐传奇，从1960年开始推出她的第一张专辑，直到80年代才到达个人事业的颠峰，过程花比较多的时间，但是却能渐入佳境。她也曾经得到葛莱美奖的最佳爵士歌手表演讲的提名。现在的她处於颠峰，也因此更加谨慎下一步的演出计划。

和他演出过的优秀乐手很多，这些乐手有Miles Davis、Wynton Marsalis、Roy Hargrove、Buck Hill、Branford Marsalis、Toots Thielsman、Steve Novosel、Steve Williams、Alex Acuna以及Al Foster。

Shirley Horn女士的近期专辑 I Remember Miles（1998年的作品），这是献给她的良师益友Miles Davis的一张纪念专辑。她与Miles Davis在著名的爵士乐餐厅Village Vanguard认识（1960年），Miles Davis也公开的表示Shirley Horn是他欣赏的女歌手，并且主动打电话来邀约合作。

1987年与Verve唱片公司签约，加入Verve唱片发行的第一张专辑是 I Thought About You，她与Verve唱片的合作顺利，也奠定她开创音乐事业高峰的基础。

1992年由编曲家Johnny Mandel所参与合作的专辑Here's To Life成为告示排行榜的最佳爵士乐专辑有17週的时间，这张专辑有小喇叭手Wynton Marsalis的演出，接下来的一些专辑也都有很好的成绩。 by Scott Yanow & Tim SendraA superior ballad singer and a talented pianist, Shirley Horn put off potential success until finally becoming a major attraction while in her fifties. She studied piano from the age of four. After attending Howard University, Horn put together her first trio in 1954, and was encouraged in the early 60s by Miles Davis and Quincy Jones. She recorded three albums during 1963-1965 for Mercury and ABC/Paramount, but chose to stick around Washington, D.C., and raise a family instead of pursuing her career. In the early 80s, she began recording for SteepleChase, but Shirley Horn really had her breakthrough in 1987 when she started making records for Verve, an association that continued on records like 1998s I Remember Miles and 2001s Youre My Thrill. Along the way she picked up many prestigious honors including seven Grammy nominations (and one win for Best Jazz Vocal Album with I Remember Miles), a 1996 induction into the Lionel Hampton Jazz Hall of Fame and Frances the Academie Du Jazzs Prix Billie Holiday for her 1990 album Close Enough for Love. In 2001 Horns health began to fail (she had her left foot amputated due to diabetes) and while it affected her piano playing, she continued to perform sporadically and recorded one final album for Verve, 2003s May the Music Never End. Horn passed away on October 20, 2005, due to complications from diabetes.