Kathryn Elizabeth Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986), known professionally as Kate Smith and The First Lady of Radio, was an American singer, a contralto, well known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America".
Known as "The Songbird of the South" and
"The First Lady of Radio", she was Born Kathryn Elizabeth Smith in
Greenville, Virginia in 1907. She initially trained to be a nurse but began
singing professionally in theatres and at nightclubs during the early 1920s,
soon relocating to New York City, New York to pursue roles in vaudeville and on
Broadway theatre, where she appeared in "Honeymoon Lane" in 1926 and
later in "Hit the Deck" and "Flying High."
Her loud contralto voice made her very popular, and she
was soon discovered by Columbia Records V.P.
Ted Collins, who later became her manager. Signing with Columbia in 1927, debuting with "One Sweet Letter from You," backed by Red Nichols' “Charleston Chasers” band. In 1931 she began hosting her own radio show on CBS; its theme song, "When the Moon Comes over the Mountain," which subsequently became her first major recording hit, selling some 19 million copies. She was an immediate success on the air and her vaudeville act soon broke the record for longevity at New York's legendary Palace Theatre.
Ted Collins, who later became her manager. Signing with Columbia in 1927, debuting with "One Sweet Letter from You," backed by Red Nichols' “Charleston Chasers” band. In 1931 she began hosting her own radio show on CBS; its theme song, "When the Moon Comes over the Mountain," which subsequently became her first major recording hit, selling some 19 million copies. She was an immediate success on the air and her vaudeville act soon broke the record for longevity at New York's legendary Palace Theatre.
In 1932, Smith had a second successful song with
"River, Stay 'Way from My Door," recorded with Guy Lombardo and “His
Royal Canadians”; they later backed her on "Too Late," another Top
Ten success released that same year. In all, she recorded two
dozen hits for
Columbia between 1927 and 1946. Throughout the Depression era, she became a
national icon in 1938, when she recorded Irving Berlin's "God Bless
America" for RCA Victor; within a year its success established it as an
unofficial national anthem, and upon the United States' entrance into World War
II it re-entered the charts in both 1940 and 1942.
Morton Downey, Kate Smith & Bing Crosby |
In 1940 Kate and Ted Collins incorporated as Kated. This
corporation, which produced her shows and others, bought a professional
basketball team, the Kate Smith Celtics, and made its partners millionaires.
During World War II, Kate Smith performed on two around-the-clock radio
marathons to sell war bonds, which she eventually sold over $600 million
dollars worth.
She had America's most popular radio variety hour,
"The Kate Smith Hour," which aired weekly from 1937 to 1945. At the
same time she had the Number 1 daytime radio show, the midday "Kate Smith
Speaks," a news and commentary program. In 1950 Kate Smith went on television
with a Monday-Friday afternoon variety show, "The Kate Smith Hour"
(1950 to 1954). It proved so popular that NBC gave her a prime-time show on Wednesday evenings, "The Kate Smith Evening Hour."
(1950 to 1954). It proved so popular that NBC gave her a prime-time show on Wednesday evenings, "The Kate Smith Evening Hour."
In addition to her stage and radio popularity, Smith also
appeared in films, starring in "The Big Broadcast" (1932) and
"This Is the Army" (1943) with Ronald Reagan. Upon the 1964 death of
her longtime manager Ted Collins, Smith settled into semi-retirement, and
greatly reduced her performing schedule in subsequent years. Her last
television series was CBS's "The Kate Smith Show," a weekly half-hour
musical series in 1960.
She made many guest appearances on top television shows,
such as "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Tennessee Ernie Ford
Show", "The Jack Paar Show," ABC Hollywood Palace,"
"The Andy Williams Show," "The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show,"
" The Dean Martin Show," "The Smothers Brothers Comedy
Hour," and "The Donny & Marie Show." In the 1960s she began
making LP albums, scoring such best sellers as "Kate Smith at Carnegie
Hall" (1963), "How Great Thou Art" (1965), and "America's
Favorites: Kate Smith/Arthur Fiedler/Boston Pops" (1967).
Her last public performance was her rendition of
"God Bless America" on a bicentennial television special just before
July 4, 1976. Later in her life she had an unusual aspect of her career begin
when the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League began playing her
rendition of “God Bless America” instead of the National Anthem before some of
their games, and that the Flyers won most of those games. Thus, she became a
sort of good luck charm for the team, and made several live performances of the
song before Flyers games, including a few during Stanly Cup playoff games.
Rendered a sports icon in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the team
erected a statue of her near the arena where they play. On October 26, 1982 President Reagan awarded Smith the Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour.
erected a statue of her near the arena where they play. On October 26, 1982 President Reagan awarded Smith the Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour.
In her later years, Smith was impaired by diabetes. In
1976, she suffered brain damage after slipping into a diabetic coma. In January
1986, her right leg was amputated due to poor circulation caused by diabetes.
Five months later, she underwent a mastectomy. On June 17, 1986, Smith died of
respiratory arrest at Raleigh Community Hospital in Raleigh at the age of 79.
(Edited mainly from bio by Edward Parsons).
Please look in comments for updated news.
6 comments:
April 2019. Decades after her death, singer Kate Smith was in the news again and not in a good way. The woman who helped make “God Bless America” a semi national anthem, played before countless sports events and other national displays of patriotism, was suddenly a candidate for banishment from public spaces for her recordings of racist songs in the distant past.
The Philadelphia Flyers covered her statue near their stadium and later took it away, After an anonymous tip from a sports fan, the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Flyers announced that they had stopped playing Smith's version of "God Bless America" amid emerging claims about racist lyrics in some of the songs in her catalogue, including her hit "That's Why Darkies Were Born." The tune originated in a 1931 Broadway revue and some music historians suggest it was meant to be a satire of white supremacy.
It should be noted that the same song was recorded by Paul Robeson, the concert singer and actor who also was a famous lawyer, scholar, and political and civil-rights activist before his death in 1976.
(Edited from Maria Puente @ eu.usatoday)
For “Kate Smith - Two Dozen Roses” go here:
https://www.upload.ee/files/9901824/Kate_Smith_-_TDRoses.rar.html
1 Stay As Sweet As You Are 3:17
2 The Continental 2:22
3 College Rhythm 3:00
4 When My Ship Comes In 3:06
5 Don't Worry 'Bout Me 3:13
6 Imagination 3:05
7 Make-Believe Island 2:42
8 Maybe 2:48
9 A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square 3:09
10 Time Was 3:13
11 I Don't Want To Walk Without You 2:50
12 My Melancholy Baby 3:19
13 Somebody Loves Me 3:25
14 Blues In The Night 3:17
15 We'll Meet Again 2:58
16 One Dozen Roses 2:47
17 Be Careful, It's My Heart 3:10
18 Embraceable You 3:14
19 Say It Over And Over Again 2:55
20 Some Sunday Morning 3:14
21 Here Comes Heaven Again 3:24
22 If I Had A Wishing Ring 3:16
23 The Trolley Song 2:20
24 When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain 3:04
When Kate Smith died on 17th June, 1986, America lost one of its best-loved radio personalities. Millions of fans would no longer hear the opening strains of "When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain" coupled with that famous greeting, sincere, soft and slowly spoken: "Hello, Everybody." Here, you will find her covers of many classics of the thirties and forties, including "The continental", "Imagination", "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square", "My Melancholy Baby", "Blues In The Night", "We'll Meet Again" and "The Trolley song". Kate's recordings were of a consistently high quality, so this collection is every bit as good as any other collection of her music. If you are new to Kate's music, this is an excellent introduction.(Jasmine notes)
A big thank you To Mijas @ ACM2.
Thanks for this. The current controversy will fade, and Kate Smith's music will endure.
Thanks Bob for doing your part to prevent Big Brother from stuffing our past down the Memory Hole.
Can you reup this?
Thank You
Hello Stefano, here's the new link for kate
https://krakenfiles.com/view/SyutzedyGn/file.html
Thank You!
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