Rosemary Clooney

Review: Rosemary's 'friends' on 'Ring Around Rosie' are none other than the Hi-Lo's! (She is accompanied by Harry James on 'Hollywood's Best.') The dozen songs on 'Ring Around Rosie,' though not a cappella, are some of the loveliest in the canon of American popular song. Clooney's straightforward and unmannered style is immediate and engaging, in contrast to the Hi-lo's more modern jazz phrasing; together, they offer the best of both. For example, the Hi-lo's trade verses with Rosie on 'How About You,' and outline chords behind her with brilliantly hued swipes; when they harmonize, as they do, fittingly, on 'Together,' one can feel the appreciation flowing. Her 'Everything Happens To Me' conveys the song's gloomy irony by virtue of the plainness of its delivery. The Hi-Lo's are sans Rosie on 'I Could Write A Book,' 'Coquette' and 'Solitude'; the latter two are presently unavailable on any other recording. 'Hollywood's Best' features big band arrangements of movie themes, and Clooney's first million-selling record, 'Come On-A My House.'

Songlist: Doncha Go Way Mad, Moonlight Becomes You, Love Letters, I Could Write A Book, I'm In the Mood For Love, Coquette, Together, Everything Happens To Me, Solitude, What Is There To say, I'm Glad There is You, How About You?, Plus "Hollywood's Best" with Harry James (12 tracks)

Review: Rosemary Clooney's career began in 1945, singing duets with her sister Betty for WLW Radio in Cincinnati. In 1947, they joined the Pastor band as 'The Clooney Sisters,' making their debut at The Steel Pier in Atlantic City. Two years later, Rosemary signed a solo recording contract with Columbia Records. Clooney recorded her first single, 'Come On-a My House,' in 1951. It was an immediate and enormous success and catapulted Rosemary to stardom. Her horizons soon expanded to include motion pictures, including the classic 'White Christmas' in 1954. In 1956-1957 'The Rosemary Clooney Show' joined CBS television's weekly variety show lineup. Clooney also gave birth to five children, Miguel, Maria, Gabriel, Monsita, and Rafael, between February 1955 and March 1960. This program includes a compilation of 19 musical performances by Rosemary from her 1950's television program, The Rosemary Clooney Show including My Blue Heaven and Mambo Italiano.

Songlist: Tenderly, Botch-A-Me, Mambo Italiano, Moonlight In Vermont, My Blue Heaven , How About You, I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, There Will Never Be Another You, Lullaby Of Broadway , I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me, A Foggy Day, You Make Me Feel So Young, Chicago, That Toddlin' Town , Dream, Just You, Just Me, I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) , Too Marvelous For Words, This Ole House, They Can't Take That Away From Me, Taking A Chance On Love, Blues In The Night , Come On / A My House , Hey There , Up A Lazy River, I'll Be Seeing You , Haven't Got A Worry

Review: Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit 'Come On-a My House', which was followed by other pop numbers 'Botch-a-Me (Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina)' (a cover version of the Italian song Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina by Alberto Rabagliati), 'Mambo Italiano', and 'This Ole House', songs which tended to obscure her talents as a jazz vocalist. Clooney's career languished in the 1960s, partly due to problems related to depression and drug addiction, but revived in 1974, when Bing Crosby asked her to appear with him at a show marking his 50th anniversary in show business. From the late 1970s until her death in 2002, she recorded a series of albums for the Concord Jazz, record label with small ensembles which were warmly received by audiences and critics alike. 21 classic standards from one of the most popular vocalists of all time.

Songlist: Ask Me Again, Botch-A-Me (Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina), Come On-A My House, Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep, Do You Miss New York?, Everything Happens To Me, Half As Much, Hey There, I Can't Get Started With You, I Want To Be A Sideman, Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me, Mambo Italiano, Mangos, Sentimental Journey, Sisters, Sweet Kentucky Ham, Tenderly, This Old House, Time Flies, When October Goes, White Christmas

Style: Standards