African-American coloratura soprano, born11 July 1925 in Atlanta, Georgia, died December 8, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia.

She was one of the first black singers to enjoy a major international career in opera. Possessing a small but buoyant voice, Dobbs was admired for her refined vocal technique and lively interpretations.

Dobbs lived briefly in Spain with her first husband, who passed away in 1954. At the end of 1957, she married the Swedish newspaperman and PR manager Bengt Janzon, who died in 1997. She lived in Sweden for several years.