Geboren als Esther Mae Washington am 23. Dezember 1935 in Galveston, Texas, als Tochter von Lucille Green und Arthur Washington.

Show-Karriere von 1949 bis 1983. Ihr größter Hit war Release Me (zuerst aufgenommen 1960).

Esther Phillips starb am 7. August 1984 in Torrance, Kalifornien (Leberzirrhose infolge von Alkoholsucht).

(a) Alben

• 1956: Memory Lane
• 1959: Down Memory Lane With Little Esther
  King Records
• 1963: Release Me! - Reflections Of Country And Western Greats
  Lenox (re-issued Collectables # 9985, 2006)
• 1965: And I Love Him
  Atlantic 1965
• 1966: Esther
  Atlantic
• 1966: The Country Side Of Esther Phillips
  Atlantic
• 1970: Burnin' (Live at Freddie Jett's Pied Piper, LA)
  Atlantic (re-issued Collectables, 1999)
• 1972: From A Whisper To A Scream
  Kudu (CTI Records)
• 1972: Alone Again Naturally
  Kudu (CTI Records)
• 1973: Black-Eyed Blues
  Kudu 14 (CTI Records), # 512 7972
• 1974: Performance
  Kudu (CTI Records)
• 1975: What A Difference A Day Makes
  Kudu (CTI Records)
• 1975: Confessin' The Blues
  Atlantic
• 1976: For All We Know
• 1976: Capricorn Princess
  Kudu (CTI Records)
• 1979: You've Come A Long Way, Baby
  Mercury
• 1979: Here's Esther ... Are You Ready?
  Mercury
• 1981: All About Esther Phillips
  Mercury
• 1982: A Good Black Is Hard To Crack
  Mercury
• 1984: *Sad Song
  ?? (Recorded at A&R Studios, Ney York, März 1984)

(b) Sampler

• 1997: The Best of Esther Phillips (1962-1970)
  Rhino
• 2004: Home Is Where The Hatred Is: The Kudu Years 1971-1977
  Raven
• 2005: The Best of Little Esther (King Records)
  Collectables
• 2005: Jazz Moods: Hot
  Sony / Legacy

• Esther Phillips (All Music Guide)
• Esther Phillips (African American Registry)
• Esther Phillips (Soultracks)
• Esther Phillips (Soulwalking)
• Esther Phillips (Wikipedia.de)
• Esther Phillips (Wikipedia, US)
• The Story of Little Esther (J.C. Marion)