George Robert "Bob" Crosby (August 23, 1913 – March 9, 1993) was an American dixieland bandleader and vocalist, best known for his group the Bob-Cats.

Family

The seven Crosby children are: elder boys, Larry (1895–1975), Everett (1896–1966), Ted (1900–1973), Harry, (1903–1977, popularly known as Bing Crosby), two girls, Catherine (1905–1988) and Mary Rose (1907–1990) and Bob, the baby rounding out the lot. His parents were English-American bookkeeper Harry Lowe Crosby (1871–1950) and Irish-American Catherine Harrigan (1873–1964), (affectionately known as Kate), the daughter of a builder from County Mayo in Ireland.

Career

Singer and bandleader

Bob Crosby began singing in the early 1930s with the Delta Rhythm Boys which included vocalist Ray Hendricks and guitarist Bill Pollard also with Anson Weeks (1931–34) and the Dorsey Brothers (1934–35). He led his first band in 1935, when the former members of Ben Pollack's band elected him as titular leader. He recorded with the Clark Randall Orchestra in 1935, led by Gil Rodin and featuring singer Frank Tennille, whose pseudonym was Clark Randall. Glenn Miller was a member of that orchestra which recorded the Glenn Miller novelty composition "When Icky Morgan Plays the Organ" in 1935. His most famous band, the Bob-Cats, was a Dixieland jazz group with members from the Bob Crosby Orchestra. Both the Bob Crosby Orchestra and the smaller Bob-Cats group specialized in Dixieland jazz, presaging the traditional jazz revival of the 1940s. Crosby's singing voice was remarkably similar to that of his brother Bing, but without its range.

The Bob Crosby Orchestra and the Bob-Cats included (at various times) Yank Lawson, Billy Butterfield, Muggsy Spanier, Matty Matlock, Irving Fazola, Ward Silloway, Warren Smith, Eddie Miller, Joe Sullivan, Bob Zurke, Jess Stacy, Nappy Lamare, Bob Haggart, Walt Yoder, Jack Sperling, and Ray Bauduc. Arrangements for the orchestra were often done by a young trumpeter by the name of Gilbert Portmore who, during the time he was a decorated WWII fighter pilot in the South Pacific, started an Air Force swing band known as Cap'n Portmore's Hepcats.

The orchestra was actually led by sax player Gil Rodin, with Crosby himself simply the front man, chosen for his personality, looks, and famous last name.

Hits included "Summertime" (theme song), "In a Little Gypsy Tea Room", "Whispers in The Dark", "South Rampart Street Parade", "March of the Bob Cats", "Day In, Day Out", "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby", "Dolores" and "New San Antonio Rose" (last three with Bing Crosby). A bass and drums duet between Haggart and Bauduc, "Big Noise from Winnetka," became a hit in 1938-39.

The enduring popularity of the Bob Cats led by Bob Crosby, whose biography was written by British jazz historian John Chilton, was evident during the frequent reunions in the 1950s and 1960s. Bob Haggart and Yank Lawson organized a band that kept the spirit alive, combining Dixieland and swing with a roster of top soloists. From the late 1960s until the mid-1970s, the group was known as The World's Greatest Jazzband. Since neither leader was happy with that name, they eventually reverted to The Lawson Haggart Jazzband. The Lawson-Haggart group was consistent in keeping the Bob Crosby tradition alive.

Three of his songs ("Way Back Home", "Happy Times" and "Dear Hearts and Gentle People") were featured in two hit video games, ''Fallout 3'' and ''Fallout: New Vegas'', published by Bethesda Softworks. Most of the popularity of all of these songs were achieved by the use of them in the game trailers, in which they used his lighthearted music to contrast with the combat taking place in the video.

Bob Crosby has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for Television and Recording.

Radio

During World War II, Bob Crosby spent 18 months in the Marines, touring with bands in the Pacific. His radio variety series, ''The Bob Crosby Show'', aired on NBC and CBS in different runs between the years 1943 to 1950. This was followed by ''Club Fifteen'' on CBS from 1947 through 1953, minus a brief interlude when he was replaced as host by singer Dick Haymes during parts of 1949 and 1950. During his stint on "Club Fifteen," he was teamed with the ever-popular Andrews Sisters three nights per week, singing with them and engaging in comedy skits. He first met the trio in 1938 when his orchestra backed their Decca recording of "Begin the Beguine,", their popular vocalization of Artie Shaw's big band hit. One can't help when hearing these old "Club Fifteen" broadcasts how eerily similar Bob & The Andrews Sisters sound to the trio's very frequent and hugely successful pairings with brother Bing Crosby on the Decca label. Bob and Patty even scored a hit duet on Decca Records with their duet recording of the novelty "The Pussy Cat Song" (Nyow! Nyot Nyow!)" which peaked at #12 on Billboard. A half-hour CBS daytime series, ''The Bob Crosby Show'' followed from 1953–1957. He introduced the Canadian singer Gisele MacKenzie to American audiences and subsequently guest starred in 1957 on her NBC television series, ''The Gisele MacKenzie Show.

On September 14, 1952, Bob replaced Phil Harris as the bandleader on ''The Jack Benny Program'', remaining until Benny retired the radio show in 1955 after 23 years. In joining the show, he became the leader of the same group of musicians who had played under Harris. According to Benny writer Milt Josefsberg, the issue was budget. Because radio had strong competition from TV, the program budget had to be reduced, so Bob replaced Phil. Prior to joining Benny on the radio, Crosby, who was based on the East Coast, would often play with Benny during Benny's live New York appearances, and he was seen frequently throughout the 1950s on Benny's television series.

As a performer, Crosby had tremendous charisma and wit combined with a laid back persona. He was able to swap jokes competently with Benny, including humorous references to his brother Bing's wealth and his string of losing racehorses. An exchange during one of the popular Christmas programs ran thus: Crosby muses to Jack that he's bought gifts for everyone but bandmember Frank Remley. When Jack suggests "a cordial, like a bottle of Drambuie," Crosby counters that Drambuie is an after-dinner drink and adds, alluding to Remley's penchant for alcohol, that "Remley never quite makes it to after dinner."

Filmography

Rhythm on the Roof (1934)

Collegiate (1936)

Paramount Headliner: Bob Crosby and His Orchestra (1938)

Ambercombie Had a Zombie (1941)

Let's Make Music (1941)

Merry-Go-Roundup (1941)

Sis Hopkins (1941)

Rookies on Parade (1941)

Reveille With Beverly (1943)

Presenting Lily Mars (1943)

Don't Hook Now (1943)

Thousands Cheer (1943)

See Here, Private Hargrove (1944)

Pardon My Rhythm (1944)

Kansas City Kittie (1944)

The Singing Sheriff (1944)

My Gal Loves Music (1944)

Meet Miss Bobby Sox (1944)

Pillow to Post (1945, scenes deleted)

When You're Smiling (1950)

Two Tickets to Broadway (1951)

Stars in the Eye (1951)

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Road to Bali (1952)

The Five Pennies (1959)

Television

Bob Crosby guest starred in the television series ''The Gisele MacKenzie Show''. He also starred in his own afternoon variety show, The Bob Crosby show, that aired between 1953 and 1957. Bob fronted a TV program in Australia in the 1960s.

Personal life

Crosby married socialite June Kuhn at his home in Spokane on 22nd September 1938. They had five children, three boys (Christopher, George and Stephen) and two girls (Cathleen and Junie). Crosby died in 1993 due to complications from cancer.

Notes

External links

Big Band Library: Bob Crosby

Solid!: Bob Crosby

Media

Haendiges Listening Lounge: ''The Jo Stafford Show'' with vocal by Bob Crosby

Pandora: Bob Crosby

Radio Lovers: ''The Bob Crosby Show'' with Eileen Barton

An episode of ''The Bob Crosby Show'' from 1954

Category:1913 births Category:1993 deaths Category:Dixieland bandleaders Category:Big band bandleaders Category:American male singers Category:American musicians Category:Bandleaders Category:Big bands Category:Bell Records artists Category:United States Marines Category:1940s American radio programs Category:1950s American radio programs Category:American musicians of Irish descent Category:American people of English descent

de:Bob Crosby es:Bob Crosby fr:Bob Crosby fi:Bob Crosby

George Robert "Bob" Crosby (August 23, 1913 – March 9, 1993) was an American dixieland bandleader and vocalist, best known for his group the Bob-Cats.

Family

The seven Crosby children are: elder boys, Larry (1895–1975), Everett (1896–1966), Ted (1900–1973), Harry, (1903–1977, popularly known as Bing Crosby), two girls, Catherine (1905–1988) and Mary Rose (1907–1990) and Bob, the baby rounding out the lot. His parents were English-American bookkeeper Harry Lowe Crosby (1871–1950) and Irish-American Catherine Harrigan (1873–1964), (affectionately known as Kate), the daughter of a builder from County Mayo in Ireland.

Career

Singer and bandleader

Bob Crosby began singing in the early 1930s with the Delta Rhythm Boys which included vocalist Ray Hendricks and guitarist Bill Pollard also with Anson Weeks (1931–34) and the Dorsey Brothers (1934–35). He led his first band in 1935, when the former members of Ben Pollack's band elected him as titular leader. He recorded with the Clark Randall Orchestra in 1935, led by Gil Rodin and featuring singer Frank Tennille, whose pseudonym was Clark Randall. Glenn Miller was a member of that orchestra which recorded the Glenn Miller novelty composition "When Icky Morgan Plays the Organ" in 1935. His most famous band, the Bob-Cats, was a Dixieland jazz group with members from the Bob Crosby Orchestra. Both the Bob Crosby Orchestra and the smaller Bob-Cats group specialized in Dixieland jazz, presaging the traditional jazz revival of the 1940s. Crosby's singing voice was remarkably similar to that of his brother Bing, but without its range.

The Bob Crosby Orchestra and the Bob-Cats included (at various times) Yank Lawson, Billy Butterfield, Muggsy Spanier, Matty Matlock, Irving Fazola, Ward Silloway, Warren Smith, Eddie Miller, Joe Sullivan, Bob Zurke, Jess Stacy, Nappy Lamare, Bob Haggart, Walt Yoder, Jack Sperling, and Ray Bauduc. Arrangements for the orchestra were often done by a young trumpeter by the name of Gilbert Portmore who, during the time he was a decorated WWII fighter pilot in the South Pacific, started an Air Force swing band known as Cap'n Portmore's Hepcats.

The orchestra was actually led by sax player Gil Rodin, with Crosby himself simply the front man, chosen for his personality, looks, and famous last name.

Hits included "Summertime" (theme song), "In a Little Gypsy Tea Room", "Whispers in The Dark", "South Rampart Street Parade", "March of the Bob Cats", "Day In, Day Out", "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby", "Dolores" and "New San Antonio Rose" (last three with Bing Crosby). A bass and drums duet between Haggart and Bauduc, "Big Noise from Winnetka," became a hit in 1938-39.

The enduring popularity of the Bob Cats led by Bob Crosby, whose biography was written by British jazz historian John Chilton, was evident during the frequent reunions in the 1950s and 1960s. Bob Haggart and Yank Lawson organized a band that kept the spirit alive, combining Dixieland and swing with a roster of top soloists. From the late 1960s until the mid-1970s, the group was known as The World's Greatest Jazzband. Since neither leader was happy with that name, they eventually reverted to The Lawson Haggart Jazzband. The Lawson-Haggart group was consistent in keeping the Bob Crosby tradition alive.

Three of his songs ("Way Back Home", "Happy Times" and "Dear Hearts and Gentle People") were featured in two hit video games, ''Fallout 3'' and ''Fallout: New Vegas'', published by Bethesda Softworks. Most of the popularity of all of these songs were achieved by the use of them in the game trailers, in which they used his lighthearted music to contrast with the combat taking place in the video.

Bob Crosby has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for Television and Recording.

Radio

During World War II, Bob Crosby spent 18 months in the Marines, touring with bands in the Pacific. His radio variety series, ''The Bob Crosby Show'', aired on NBC and CBS in different runs between the years 1943 to 1950. This was followed by ''Club Fifteen'' on CBS from 1947 through 1953, minus a brief interlude when he was replaced as host by singer Dick Haymes during parts of 1949 and 1950. During his stint on "Club Fifteen," he was teamed with the ever-popular Andrews Sisters three nights per week, singing with them and engaging in comedy skits. He first met the trio in 1938 when his orchestra backed their Decca recording of "Begin the Beguine,", their popular vocalization of Artie Shaw's big band hit. One can't help when hearing these old "Club Fifteen" broadcasts how eerily similar Bob & The Andrews Sisters sound to the trio's very frequent and hugely successful pairings with brother Bing Crosby on the Decca label. Bob and Patty even scored a hit duet on Decca Records with their duet recording of the novelty "The Pussy Cat Song" (Nyow! Nyot Nyow!)" which peaked at #12 on Billboard. A half-hour CBS daytime series, ''The Bob Crosby Show'' followed from 1953–1957. He introduced the Canadian singer Gisele MacKenzie to American audiences and subsequently guest starred in 1957 on her NBC television series, ''The Gisele MacKenzie Show.

On September 14, 1952, Bob replaced Phil Harris as the bandleader on ''The Jack Benny Program'', remaining until Benny retired the radio show in 1955 after 23 years. In joining the show, he became the leader of the same group of musicians who had played under Harris. According to Benny writer Milt Josefsberg, the issue was budget. Because radio had strong competition from TV, the program budget had to be reduced, so Bob replaced Phil. Prior to joining Benny on the radio, Crosby, who was based on the East Coast, would often play with Benny during Benny's live New York appearances, and he was seen frequently throughout the 1950s on Benny's television series.

As a performer, Crosby had tremendous charisma and wit combined with a laid back persona. He was able to swap jokes competently with Benny, including humorous references to his brother Bing's wealth and his string of losing racehorses. An exchange during one of the popular Christmas programs ran thus: Crosby muses to Jack that he's bought gifts for everyone but bandmember Frank Remley. When Jack suggests "a cordial, like a bottle of Drambuie," Crosby counters that Drambuie is an after-dinner drink and adds, alluding to Remley's penchant for alcohol, that "Remley never quite makes it to after dinner."

Filmography

Rhythm on the Roof (1934)

Collegiate (1936)

Paramount Headliner: Bob Crosby and His Orchestra (1938)

Ambercombie Had a Zombie (1941)

Let's Make Music (1941)

Merry-Go-Roundup (1941)

Sis Hopkins (1941)

Rookies on Parade (1941)

Reveille With Beverly (1943)

Presenting Lily Mars (1943)

Don't Hook Now (1943)

Thousands Cheer (1943)

See Here, Private Hargrove (1944)

Pardon My Rhythm (1944)

Kansas City Kittie (1944)

The Singing Sheriff (1944)

My Gal Loves Music (1944)

Meet Miss Bobby Sox (1944)

Pillow to Post (1945, scenes deleted)

When You're Smiling (1950)

Two Tickets to Broadway (1951)

Stars in the Eye (1951)

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Road to Bali (1952)

The Five Pennies (1959)

Television

Bob Crosby guest starred in the television series ''The Gisele MacKenzie Show''. He also starred in his own afternoon variety show, The Bob Crosby show, that aired between 1953 and 1957. Bob fronted a TV program in Australia in the 1960s.

Personal life

Crosby married socialite June Kuhn at his home in Spokane on 22nd September 1938. They had five children, three boys (Christopher, George and Stephen) and two girls (Cathleen and Junie). Crosby died in 1993 due to complications from cancer.

Notes

External links

Big Band Library: Bob Crosby

Solid!: Bob Crosby

Media

Haendiges Listening Lounge: ''The Jo Stafford Show'' with vocal by Bob Crosby

Pandora: Bob Crosby

Radio Lovers: ''The Bob Crosby Show'' with Eileen Barton

An episode of ''The Bob Crosby Show'' from 1954

Category:1913 births Category:1993 deaths Category:Dixieland bandleaders Category:Big band bandleaders Category:American male singers Category:American musicians Category:Bandleaders Category:Big bands Category:Bell Records artists Category:United States Marines Category:1940s American radio programs Category:1950s American radio programs Category:American musicians of Irish descent Category:American people of English descent

de:Bob Crosby es:Bob Crosby fr:Bob Crosby fi:Bob Crosby

name	Anita O'Day
landscape	yes
background	solo_singer
birth name	Anita Belle Colton
alias	"The Jezebel of Jazz"
birth date	October 18, 1919
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois, United States
death date	November 23, 2006
Death place	Los Angeles, California, United States
genre	Vocal jazz
occupation	Singer
years active	1934 – 2006
label	Verve, Kayo Stereophonic
associated acts	}}

Anita O'Day (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006) was an American jazz singer.

Born Anita Belle Colton, O'Day was admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer". Refusing to pander to any female stereotype, O'Day presented herself as a "hip" jazz musician, wearing a band jacket and skirt as opposed to an evening gown. She changed her surname from Colton to O'Day, pig Latin for "dough," slang for money.

Style

O'Day, along with Mel Tormé, is often grouped with the West Coast cool school of jazz. Like Tormé, O'Day had some training in jazz drums (courtesy of her first husband Don Carter); her longest musical collaboration was with jazz drummer John Poole. While maintaining a central core of hard swing, O'Day's skills in improvisation of rhythm and melody put her squarely among the pioneers of bebop.

She cited Martha Raye as the primary influence on her vocal style, although she also expressed admiration for Mildred Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.

O'Day always maintained that the accidental excision of her uvula during a childhood tonsillectomy left her incapable of vibrato, and unable to maintain long phrases. That botched operation, she claimed, forced her to develop a more percussive style based on short notes and rhythmic drive. However, when she was in good voice she could stretch long notes with strong crescendos and a telescoping vibrato, e.g. her live version of "Sweet Georgia Brown" at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, captured in Bert Stern's film ''Jazz on a Summer's Day''.

O'Day's backbeat-based singing style was strongly influential on many other female singers of the late swing and bebop eras, including June Christy, Chris Connor and Doris Day.

O'Day's long-term problems with heroin addiction and alcoholism and her often erratic behavior related to those problems earned her the nickname "The Jezebel of Jazz".

Early career

Born into a broken home in Chicago, O'Day took the first chance to leave home when, at age 14, she became a contestant in the popular Walk-a-thons as a dancer. She toured with the Walk-a-thons circuits for two years, occasionally being called upon to sing. In 1934, she began touring the Midwest as a marathon dance contestant and singing "The Lady in Red" for tips.

In 1936, she left the endurance contests, determined to become a professional singer. She started out as a chorus girl in such Uptown venues as the Celebrity Club and the Vanity Fair, then found work as a singer and waitress at the Ball of Fire, the Vialago, and the Planet Mars. At the Vialago, O'Day met the drummer Don Carter, who introduced her to music theory and whom she married in 1937. Her first big break came in 1938 when ''Down Beat'' editor Carl Cons hired her to work at his new club at 222 North State Street, the Off-Beat, which quickly became a popular hangout for musicians. Also performing at the Off-Beat was the Max Miller Quartet, which backed O'Day for the first 10 days of her stay there.

While performing at the Off Beat, she met Gene Krupa, who promised to call her if Irene Daye, his current vocalist, left his band. In 1939 she was hired as vocalist for Miller's Quartet, which had a stay at the Three Deuces club in Chicago.

Work with Krupa, Herman, and Kenton

The call from Krupa came in early 1941. Of the 34 sides she recorded with Krupa, it was "Let Me Off Uptown", a novelty duet with Roy Eldridge, that became her first big hit. That year, ''Down Beat'' named O'Day "New Star of the Year". In 1942, she appeared with the Krupa band in two "soundies" (short musical films originally made for jukeboxes), singing "Thanks for the Boogie Ride" and "Let Me Off Uptown". The same year ''Down Beat'' magazine readers voted her into the top five big band singers. O'Day came in fourth, with Helen O'Connell first, Helen Forrest second, Billie Holiday third, and Dinah Shore fifth. O'Day married again in 1942, this time to golf pro and jazz fan Carl Hoff.

When Krupa's band broke up after he was arrested for possession of marijuana in 1943, O'Day joined Woody Herman for a month-long gig at the Hollywood Palladium, followed by two weeks at the Orpheum. Unwilling to tour with another big band, she left Herman after the Orpheum engagement and finished out the year as a solo artist. Despite her initial misgivings about the compatibility of their musical styles, she joined Stan Kenton's band in April 1944. During her 11 months with Kenton, O'Day recorded 21 sides, both transcription and commercial, and appeared in a Universal Pictures short ''Artistry in Rhythm'' (1944). "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" became a huge seller and put Kenton's band on the map. She also appeared in one soundie with Kenton, performing "I'm Going Mad for a Pad" and "Tabby the Cat". O'Day later said, "My time with Stanley helped nurture and cultivate my innate sense of chord structure." In 1945 she rejoined Krupa's band and stayed almost a year. The reunion, unfortunately, yielded only 10 sides. After leaving Krupa late in 1946, O'Day once again became a solo artist.

Post-war work

During the late 1940s, she recorded two dozen sides, mostly for small labels. The quality of these singles varies: O'Day was trying to achieve popular success without sacrificing her identity as a jazz singer. Among the more notable recordings from this period are "Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip", "Key Largo", "How High the Moon", and "Malaguena". O'Day's drug problems began to surface late in 1947, when she and her husband Carl Hoff were arrested for possession of marijuana and sentenced to 90 days in jail. Her career was back on the upswing in September 1948, when she sang with Count Basie at the Royal Roost in New York City, resulting in five airchecks. What secured O'Day's place in the jazz pantheon, however, are the 17 albums she recorded for Norman Granz's Norgran and Verve labels between 1952 and 1962.

Her first album, ''Anita O'Day Sings Jazz'' (reissued as ''The Lady Is a Tramp''), was recorded in 1952 for the newly established Norgran Records (it was also the label's first LP). The album was a critical success and further boosted her popularity. In October 1952 O'Day was again arrested for possession of marijuana, but found not guilty. The following March, she was arrested for possession of heroin. The case dragged on for most of 1953; O'Day was finally sentenced to six months in jail. Not long after her release from jail on February 25, 1954, she began work on her second album, ''Songs by Anita O'Day'' (reissued as ''An Evening with Anita O'Day''). She recorded steadily throughout the 1950s, accompanied by small combos and big bands. In person, O'Day was generally backed by a trio which included John Poole, the drummer with whom she would work for the next 40 years. As a live performer O'Day also began performing in festivals and concerts with such musicians as Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Dinah Washington, George Shearing, Cal Tjader, and Thelonious Monk. She appeared in the documentary ''Jazz on a Summer's Day'', filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival which increased her popularity. She admitted later that she was probably high on heroin during the concert. She also said that it was the best day of her life in that hers was the star performance of the festival and she made the cover of national magazines for it.

The following year O'Day made a cameo appearance in ''The Gene Krupa Story'', singing "Memories of You". Late in 1959, she toured Europe with Benny Goodman to great personal acclaim. O'Day later wrote in her 1981 autobiography that when Goodman's attempts to upstage her failed to diminish the audience's enthusiasm, he cut all but two of her numbers from the show.

O'Day went back to touring as a solo artist and appeared on such TV specials as the ''Timex All-Star Jazz Show'' and ''The Swingin' Years'' hosted by Ronald Reagan. She recorded infrequently after the expiration of her Verve contract in 1962 and her career seemed over when she nearly died of a heroin overdose in 1968. After kicking the habit, she made a comeback at the 1970 Berlin Jazz Festival. She also appeared in the films ''Zigzag''a.k.a. ''False Witness'' with George Kennedy (1970) and ''The Outfit'' (1974) with Robert Duvall. She resumed making live and studio albums under the new management of Alan Eichler, many recorded in Japan, and several were released on her own label, Emily Records.

Memoir and later life

O'Day spoke candidly about her drug addiction in her 1981 memoir ''High Times, Hard Times'', which led to a string of TV appearances on ''60 Minutes'', ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'', ''The Today Show'' with Bryant Gumbel, ''The Dick Cavett Show'', ''Over Easy'' with Hugh Downs, ''The Tomorrow Show'' with Tom Snyder, and several others. She also toured Europe, performed a 50th Anniversary Concert at Carnegie Hall and headlined New York's JVC Jazz Festival.

In 2005, her version of the standard "Sing, Sing, Sing" was remixed by RSL and was included in the compilation album ''Verve Remixed 3''. The following year, she released ''Indestructible!'', her first album in 13 years.

One of her best-known late-career audio performances "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby", which opens the film ''Shortbus'' (2006) by John Cameron Mitchell.

A feature-length documentary, ''Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer'', directed by Robbie Cavolina and Ian McCrudden, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 30, 2007.

In November 2006, Robbie Cavolina (her last manager) entered her into a West Hollywood, California convalescent hospital, while she recovered from pneumonia. Two days before her death, she had demanded to be released from the hospital. On Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2006, at age 87, O'Day died in her sleep. The official cause of death was cardiac arrest.

Discography

Filmography

''The Gene Krupa Story'' (1959)

''Zigzag'' (1970)

''The Outfit'' (1973)

''Shortbus'' (2006)

Documentary

''Jazz on a Summer's Day'' (1960)

''Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer'' (2006)

''Anita O'Day - Live at Ronnie Scott's'' (2006)

''Live In Tokyo '63'' (2007)

''Jazz Icons'' (2009)

References

External links

Bio at ''Jazz Profiles''

Category:1919 births Category:2006 deaths Category:American female singers Category:American jazz singers Category:Bebop singers Category:Big band singers Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:People from Chicago, Illinois Category:Swing singers Category:Torch singers Category:Traditional pop music singers Category:Female jazz musicians

br:Anita O'Day ca:Anita O'Day de:Anita O’Day es:Anita O'Day fa:آنیتا اودی fr:Anita O'Day it:Anita O'Day he:אניטה או'דיי nl:Anita O'Day no:Anita O'Day pl:Anita O'Day pt:Anita O'Day fi:Anita O’Day sv:Anita O'Day tr:Anita O'Day

name	Connee Boswell
background	solo_singer
birth name	Constance Foore Boswell
birth date	December 03, 1907
Birth place	Kansas City, Missouri, United States
death date	October 11, 1976
Death place	New York, United States
instrument	Vocal
genre	Jazz
occupation	Vocalist
associated acts	}}

Constance Foore "Connee" Boswell (December 3, 1907, Kansas City, Missouri – October 11, 1976, New York) was an American female vocalist born in Kansas City but raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. With her sisters, Martha and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell, she performed in the 1930s as The Boswell Sisters and became a highly influential singing group during this period via recordings and radio. Connee herself is widely considered one of the greatest jazz female vocalists and was a major influence on Ella Fitzgerald who said, "My mother brought home one of her records, and I fell in love with it....I tried so hard to sound just like her."

In 1936, Connee's sisters retired and Connee continued on as a solo artist (having also recorded solos during her years with the group).

Biography

The Boswells came to be well known locally while still in their early teens, making appearances in New Orleans theaters and radio. They made their first recordings for Victor Records in 1925, which included "Cryin' Blues" where Connee is featured singing in the style of her early influence, the African American singer Mamie Smith. The Boswell Sisters became stage professionals that year when they were tapped to fill in for an act at New Orleans' Orpheum Theatre. They received an invitation to come to Chicago and perform in 1928 and honed their act on the Western Vaudeville Circuit. When their tour ended they traveled to San Francisco. The hotel that had been recommended had a less than savory reputation, and the man at the desk suggested that these three young ladies might be better off in another hotel. That man, Harry Leedy, would later become their manager on a handshake and become a permanent part of Connee's life.

The Boswell Sisters travelled to Los Angeles where they performed on local radio and "side-miked" for the soundies, including the 1930 production "Under Montana Skies." They did not attain national attention, however, until they moved to New York City in 1930 and started making national radio broadcasts. After a few recordings with Okeh Records, they made numerous recordings for Brunswick Records from 1931-1935. In 1935, the sisters had a #1 hit with "The Object of My Affection", the biggest of twenty top 20 records they would enjoy.

In 1936, the group signed to Decca Records and after just three releases called it quits (the last recording was February 12, 1936). Connee Boswell continued to have a successful solo career as a singer for Decca.

All through her career with The Boswell Sisters, and well into the 1940s, her name was spelled "Connie". She later changed the spelling to Connee, reputedly because it made it easier to sign autographs.

Connee Boswell was also an arranger and a composer.

Connee sang from a wheelchair - or seated position - during her entire career, due to either a childhood bout with polio or a childhood accident (sources differ). The general public was not aware of her condition although Boswell herself did not keep this secret. During World War II, she tried to get involved with the USO tours but was not given permission to travel overseas. The Army thought it might not be a morale-booster to have a singer who used a wheelchair perform for the troops.

Connee Boswell was a favorite duet partner of Bing Crosby and they frequently sang together on radio as well as recording several hit records as a duo in the 1930s and 1940s. Boswell, Crosby, and Eddie Cantor recorded a version of ''Alexander's Ragtime Band'' that was a #1 hit in 1938.In 1939, Crosby and Boswell had three hit duet records that each climbed into the top 12 on ''Billboard''; "An Apple For The Teacher" climbed all the way to #2.

Boswell also had several dozen solo hits, including "Moonlight Mood" in 1942. Boswell's career slackened in the 1950s but she still recorded occasionally and would be featured on a number of television broadcasts including a regular stint on the 1959 series "Pete Kelly's Blues".

Connee Boswell died from stomach cancer at age 68 in 1976, in New York. A number of her recordings are now available on CD, both as a soloist and part of the Boswell Sisters.

Hit singles (solo)

Year	Single	Chart positions
		! width="40"
1932		10
1934		19
1935		19
1936		3
		9
	1
	12
		11
	5
	1
	12
		2
	12
	14
		12
	3
	25
		24
	22
		21
	22
	21
		9
	22
	14
1948		19
1952		25
		27
	29
	29
		30
	10

Compact discs

''Connee Boswell'' (1995, out of print)

''Deep in a Dream'' (1996)

''Connee Boswell Sings Irving Berlin'' (1997, out of print)

''Heart and Soul'' (1997)

''Connee Boswell and the Original Memphis Five in Hi-Fi'' (1998, out of print)

''They Can't Take These Songs'' (2004)

''Moonlight and Roses'' (2004)

''With All My Heart'' (2005)

''Singing the Blues'' (2006)

References

External links

Boswell Sisters website Bozzies.com

The Boswell Sisters sound clips and CDs

The Boswell Sisters Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page

Category:1907 births Category:1976 deaths Category:People from Kansas City, Missouri Category:American female singers Category:American pop singers Category:Cancer deaths in New York Category:Deaths from stomach cancer Category:Jazz musicians from New Orleans, Louisiana Category:Vaudeville performers Category:RCA Victor artists Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Decca Records artists

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