Monday, May 1, 2023

May 1 - Shirley Horn; Kate Smith (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 1st may be found here: William Lawes (2019)Judy Collins (2020), William Lawes (2021), and Leo Sowerby (2022)

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Shirley Horn (1 May 1934 – 20 October 2005) was an American jazz singer and pianist.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horn of Plenty


Horn for the most part resisted efforts to remake her into a popular singer in the mid-1960s, later saying of such attempts "I will not stoop to conquer." – Wikipedia


By early 1987, Verve Records was pursuing a recording contract with her. She released a total of 11 studio and live albums for Verve during her lifetime. Horn's most commercially successful years were spent with Verve, and the label helped her find a large international audience. – adapted from Wikipedia


I do not think that Shirley Horn

Was even for a moment torn —

She knew she’d rather be retired,

If pop was what a career required.


But though her career was then adjourned,

She unexpectedly returned,

Rewarded for this show of nerve

When contact offers came from Verve.

 

 

♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫  

 

 

Kate Smith  (1 May 1909 - 17 June 1986) was an American singer on radio and television, long known as the “first lady of radio.” 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Thanks for listenin"


Please join me in praises, herewith,

Of a marvelous musical myth,

Whose voice was the rage

In the radio age, —

I’m speaking, of course, of Kate Smith.



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