Jill Corey

 She was born a coal miner's daughter in Avonmore, Pennsylvania and was featured in Life Magazine. Overnight, Jill Corey was a star. Her producer was to be Mitch Miller who produced for many pop singers in the 1950s like Patti Page, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Richard Hayes, Kitty Kallen, and Frankie Laine. 

 Jill Corey was an Italian girl, born Norma Jean Speranza, she joked about introducing herself back in the business by her full name to see if she could get a job. But in the fifties, she was made famous for her contralto voice. She had a tape recorder in her home and as trains went by, she made a demonstration record for Mitch Miller 'Artists and Repertory' of Colombia. Life Magazine flew over to take photos of her while holding a bag of groceries and to write a seven-page article. She became a regular on the Johnny Carson comedy variety show in California. She became the youngest girl to sing at the Copacabana, and then went on to sing at the blue angel. 

 Jill had her own program as well, The Jill Corey Show. She was a regular host on Your Hit Parade from 1958 - 1960. Jill had her first minor hit with I love my baby (my baby loves me) a 1920's song that went to #28 pop 1956. Next, the country song, "love me to pieces" was her biggest hit at #18 pop in 1957. She did a cover of the French tune "let it be me," which went to #57 pop in 1957. The Everly brothers would have a hit with it three years later. "Egghead," a song about failed masculinity did not chart, but is a fun song, "Make like a bunny," was a follow up attempt to "love me to pieces," and "Big Daddy," was from her one movie, Senior Prom. Jill Corey proved she could be a good actress too. 

 Jill left the music business in 1961 when she married Pittsburgh pirates' baseball player Don Hoak. He played for the Pirates during their 1960 World Series win. Her husband preferred her not to be out and about singing, and she thought it was all for the best. But eight years later she came back to the limelight after his sudden death. She went on to star in plays like Annie Get Your Gun, and Sweet Charity. 

 In 1973, Jill Corey was fighting to find her place in music, but she didn't give up. She came back ready to sing. She had a classic voice and she found ways to let people hear it. She talked of these things when she made a guest appearance on the Skip E. Lowe show, an interview with her and actress Betsy Palmer. 

 Jill Corey suffered from a lot of illness toward the end of her life. She had a daughter. "Sometimes I'm Happy" is one of the songs she is most recognized with. It really is a beautiful descriptive song of her life. I was at apple bees when I saw someone who had that Jill Corey look. It was exciting to see. I love the old performers of a time nearly gone. Jill Corey is one that stands out among them.


















Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bobbi Martin takes on Harper Valley PTA

Image
   Bobbi Martin 45 single Harper Valley PTA / I Think of You.  Bobbi was from Baltimore and her producer Henry was fixated on her having a country sound. Maybe because of her country accent or because of her closeness to country folks. This led him to giving her the title song Harper Valley PTA to record at the same time, and even before Jeannie C. Reilly. Bobbi's version of the song was chaotic and very pop/ rock. It would only go to #114 on the bubbling under billboard while the other now "standard" country version would become a massive #1 hit.  With this song, Bobbi had the chance to record her first album on her new label, United Artists. The album was titled unsurprisingly "Harper Valley PTA," a pure country album with covers of "Misty Blue," and "Gentle on Your Mind," being staples on the album. These songs were already becoming classics in the field. Songs like "Empty Arms," and "Be Mine," were done with slow arran...
Read more

Sandy Posey - a real pal

Image
 Sandy Posey became my favorite singer when I was in summer school, the year of 2015. In my sophomore year of high school, the first song I ever heard by Sandy Posey was Single Girl in the cold snowy winter of '15. I was not a fan upon hearing it, the song lyrics were simple, more like bubble gum pop to me. But later in the spring I heard “Born A Woman” and it was an instant favorite for me. I loved the lyrics, even though it was painful. I was in love with the sound. I had never heard a sound better than that of country-pop.   That summer, I realized I was not so taken back by the pre-feminism. I was used to being a traditional guy. I liked the housewives and the life of a mother. But the career girl life was being expressed by sandy as well. She was every woman, a sixties prodigy. I listened to her songs, her albums, and read everything I could find about her.   My favorite was “I take it back,” “bread and butter,” and “something I’ll remember.” Sandy had thre...
Read more

Fannie Flagg

Image
 She was born Patricia Neal an only child in Birmingham, Alabama on September 21, 1944, to William and Marian. Her father a movie theatre projectionist encouraged a young Patricia in her writing; but she struggled with dyslexia and would be scared about writing for many years. This didn’t stop her though;  she began acting at age 10 and wrote skits where she played the lead role. Most notably a play called The Whoopie Girls.    Neal began working at her local theatre as a spotlight girl, then later as an actress. Her stage debut was as the old lady in On The Town. She also entered several miss Alabama pageants and won Miss Congeniality. This gave her a scholarship for college.    At 17, Patricia changed her name to Fannie Flagg, being as Patricia Neal was a famous actress known for films such as The Day The Earth Stood Still. She cohosted a morning show on WBRC-TV in 1964 and a year later moved to New York. In 1965, Fannie began making appearances at the Up...
Read more