Wednesday 22 March 2023

Helene De Lys Born 1920's


Helene De Lys (was a New York night club singer from the 1950’s) 

There have been many mysteries surrounding a few female singers in the Fifties and my next one is no exception.  In 1958 a singer named Helene De Lys had her only album released on the Jubilee label recorded in New York with accompaniment arranged and conducted by Jimmy Carroll, it was titled De Lovely De Lys. 

There is next to nothing with regards to information concerning Helene De Lys. After hours searching through the web all I had was the liner notes of her album. Here’s the only snippet of biographical news I could muster. Helene was  born in Camden. New Jersey. Her polished singing performances belie a more formal education.  She was a natural singer having learned by performance literally since childhood. She worked professionally for the first time when she was four years old. Her mother was a headliner on the Keith circuit during the late 1920’s and and Helene often traveled with her. 


        Here's "I've Got My Eyes On You" from above album.

                             

She was an accomplished pianist also having led her own boy’s orchestra while at grade school. She graduated from new York University and became a night club singer in New York,  but she retired from singing to take over as active head of The Worldwide Advertising Agency which was founded by her father Emile Sholz who was a distinguished newspaper publisher and advertising executive. 

By 1958 she came out of “retirement” to record her only album for Roulette. And that dear friends is that! Like so many of her kind, her brief glimmer of near-stardom has faded into the mists of time. So if any of you budding investigators can come up with any more information regarding Miss De Lys the please share!

5 comments:

boppinbob said...

For “Helene De Lys – De Lovely De Lys (1958 Roulette)” go here:

https://www.imagenetz.de/mJiyY

1 I've Got My Eyes On You 1:31
2 You're Mine, You 3:00
3 Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere 1:11
4 I Didn't Know What Time It Was 2:18
5 Find Me A Primitive Man 2:55
6 How Long Has This Been Going 3:36
7 Don't Worry 'Bout Strangers 2:31
8 He Was Too Good To Me 2:33
9 I Must Have That Man 4:50
10 Smoky Morning 3:21
11 Let's Misbehave 2:43
12 You've Got To See Mamma Ev'ry Night 1:51

A big thank you to Dusty for the loan of above album.

According to Discogs there are at least six more tracks available by Helene as follows,

More Than That (1956)
I Couldn’t Care Less (1956)
Moody Love (unknown)
(I’m) Tired Of Cryin’ (unknown)
Am I Blue (unknown)
Smoky Morning (unknown)

Bob Mac said...

Thanks for this Bob, looks interesting and I appreciate getting copies of these rare albums.

RayKay said...

Great find, thank you!

Meyertunes said...

Bob, as a musician (pianist/singer) I worked with Helene DeLys in the 1970's. Built an act of duets with her which we performed both in NY and one summer in New Hampshire .Standards, plus Sondheim. She had a son with the President of World-wide Advertising (the boy died young) and a daughter, Tiberia with an Italian named Tiberio Mitri. In the1950's, she worked in Rome for Bricktop in Brickie's cafe and they became life-long friends. I met her when I played for her at The April in Paris ball (1974). She lived on East 39th street in a studio apartment. I have tapes of the two of us rehearsing. Her commitment and passion are evident in her singing and even more so in our relationship. If you'd like to hear my tapes, email me at: jmeyr@earthlink.net.

boppinbob said...

Hello Meyertunes, Thanks for the additional information. I Have sent you an email. I am also still looking for the six additional tracks, so far without any luck.