In 1942 Lena Horne became the first black star to sign a long-term contract with M-G-M, one of Hollywood's top studios. M-G-M transformed her into a movie goddess.

Film historian Keith Howes describes Stephen Bourne's Lena Horne: The MGM Years as a tribute that "Reads like a dream. I love the way Stephen effortlessly encases Lena in the M-G-M glamor factory. Deep dives into her contemporaries adds to the book's richness. Smooth as silk, as lyrical as a nightingale, Stephen has taken Lena out of that dream, off that cloud, and made her safe in our hearts. Forever. It's a great tribute to a great lady. Vibrant, all-encompassing and deliciously detailed."

Stephen Bourne's many books include Elisabeth Welch: Soft Lights and Sweet Music, Ethel Waters: Stormy Weather, Butterfly McQueen Remembered and BearManor Media's Nina Mae McKinney: The Black Garbo.