Never heard a voice quite like this....

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CharliePhono
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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by CharliePhono »

. . . and on the other end of the vocal oddity spectrum is Kitty O'Connor, who was billed as the "girl baritone." I have a couple of her Columbia records. She could definitely "shout" with the best of them. I actually rather enjoy her voice.

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Wolfe
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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by Wolfe »

CharliePhono wrote:the "girl baritone." I have a couple of her Columbia records. She could definitely "shout" with the best of them. I actually rather enjoy her voice.
Columbia recording artist Ruby Helder as well. Although I'm not sure I'd characterize her as a "shouter".

The guy in the original subject of the video / thread is really off putting to me. Like listening to Kate Smith being mildly electrocuted.

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CharliePhono
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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by CharliePhono »

Columbia recording artist Ruby Helder as well. Although I'm not sure I'd characterize her as a "shouter".

The guy in the original subject of the video / thread is really off putting to me. Like listening to Kate Smith being mildly electrocuted.
:lol: :lol:

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Wolfe
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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by Wolfe »

I should correct myself - Ruby Helder was billed as "The Girl Tenor." She had a voice that might confused for male anyway, IMO.

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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by OrthoFan »

Wolfe wrote:... Like listening to Kate Smith being mildly electrocuted.
as in? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6CtyY1EYLs

OrthoFan,
I differ...

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Wolfe
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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by Wolfe »

??

Kate Smith had a lovely voice. No argument there.

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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by OrthoFan »

Wolfe wrote:??

Kate Smith had a lovely voice. No argument there.
Some years ago, I listened to a radio program--I no longer remember which one--profiling the recorded career of Kate Smith. It was shortly after her death in 1986. They played the song I posted above, "Maybe, Who Knows," which the narrator claimed was her only attempt to record a "hot mamma" style number. They lambasted her attempt.

Personally, I like it, and my copy sounds very powerful on my 4-40.

OF

BTW, if you've never heard it, Kate's original rendition of her signature song appears here, with the pre-WWII introduction, as well as an added line that few have heard today -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1rKQReqJZg

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CharliePhono
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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by CharliePhono »

I very much wish I could recall the name of a number the late Rich Conaty played by Kate Smith on his "Big Broadcast" program a couple of years back. It was a little-known recording (I presume) from the late 1920s. At first, I couldn't identify the vocalist, but was really taken with her singing style. It turned out it was Kate Smith, and -- trust me -- she had jazz chops when she was young. I was so taken by her style that I emailed Rich about it. I don't know when the "Songbird of the South" persona took shape, but she could totally "red hot mamma" a tune if she put her mind to it.

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gramophone-georg
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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by gramophone-georg »

CharliePhono wrote:I very much wish I could recall the name of a number the late Rich Conaty played by Kate Smith on his "Big Broadcast" program a couple of years back. It was a little-known recording (I presume) from the late 1920s. At first, I couldn't identify the vocalist, but was really taken with her singing style. It turned out it was Kate Smith, and -- trust me -- she had jazz chops when she was young. I was so taken by her style that I emailed Rich about it. I don't know when the "Songbird of the South" persona took shape, but she could totally "red hot mamma" a tune if she put her mind to it.
Ummm... Rich is gone? When did THAT happen? Wondered why I hadn't seen any of his auctions in awhile. :shock: Damn.

Was it Kate with the Charleston Chasers... "One Sweet Letter From You", by chance?
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

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CharliePhono
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Re: Never heard a voice quite like this....

Post by CharliePhono »

gramophone-georg wrote:
CharliePhono wrote:I very much wish I could recall the name of a number the late Rich Conaty played by Kate Smith on his "Big Broadcast" program a couple of years back. It was a little-known recording (I presume) from the late 1920s. At first, I couldn't identify the vocalist, but was really taken with her singing style. It turned out it was Kate Smith, and -- trust me -- she had jazz chops when she was young. I was so taken by her style that I emailed Rich about it. I don't know when the "Songbird of the South" persona took shape, but she could totally "red hot mamma" a tune if she put her mind to it.
Ummm... Rich is gone? When did THAT happen? Wondered why I hadn't seen any of his auctions in awhile. :shock: Damn.

Was it Kate with the Charleston Chasers... "One Sweet Letter From You", by chance?
Yes, George, Rich passed in December of last year. Hit me like a ton of bricks (and many others who were fans of his show). I'd been a fairly regular listener to the "Big Broadcast" since the very early 90s, but his show had been on since *1973*. Quite a run.

It could possibly have been "One Sweet Letter." Just don't remember. I do remember commenting to him about it and that I had no idea she could sing jazz like that.

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