Vesta Williams
Filed under: Singers — Tags: Vesta Williams — admin @ 5:03 pm
Born on December 1, 1957 in Coshocton, Ohio.
Vesta Williams was an American R&B singer. Originally credited as Vesta Williams, she was sometimes simply billed as Vesta beginning in the 1990s. She was known for her four-octave vocal range. Although Williams never had any albums certified gold nor any Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, she scored six Top 10 hits on the US Billboard R&B chart from the mid 1980s to the early 1990s. Williams was known for the hits “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” “Sweet Sweet Love,” “Special”, and her 1989 #1 hit and signature song, “Congratulations”.
On September 22, 2011, Williams was found dead in a hotel room in El Segundo, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. An official cause of death has not been released.
Comments OffDelores Hope
Filed under: Singers — Tags: Delores Hope — admin @ 4:20 pm
Born on May 27, 1909 in New York, New York.
Delores Hope was an American singer, philanthropist and wife of actor/comedian Bob Hope. During the 1930s, she began her professional singing career under the name Delores Reade on the advice of her agent. In 1933, after appearing at the Vogue Club, a Manhattan nightclub, Reade was introduced to Bob Hope. The couple reportedly were married on February 19, 1934 in Erie, Pennsylvania. They later adopted four children from The Cradle in Evanston, Illinois: Eleanora, Linda (d. 2005), Kelly, and Anthony (d. 2004).In the 1940s, Dolores began helping her husband on his tours entertaining U.S. troops overseas and she would continue to do so for over 50 years. In 1990, she was the only female entertainer allowed to perform in Saudi Arabia. At age 83, she recorded her first compact disc, Dolores Hope: Now and Then. She followed this with three additional albums and also recorded a Christmas CD with Bob entitled Hopes for the Holidays.
Hope died of natural causes at her home in Toluca Lake, California on September 19, 2011. She was 102 years old.
Comments OffCarl Gardner
Filed under: Singers — Tags: Carl Gardner — admin @ 9:58 am
Born on April 29, 1928.
Carl Gardner was an American singer, best known as the foremost member and founder of The Coasters. Known for the 1958 song “Yakety Yak”, which spent a week as number one on the Hot 100 pop list, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Carl Gardner died on June 12, 2011, after suffering with congestive heart failure and vascular dementia.
Comments OffNorma Zimmer
Filed under: Singers — Tags: Norma Zimmer — admin @ 11:11 am
Born on July 13, 1923 in Larson, Idaho.
Norma Zimmer was a vocalist, best remembered for her 22-year tenure as Lawrence Welk’s “Champagne Lady” on The Lawrence Welk Show.
Norma Zimmer died peacefully on May 10, 2011 at her Brea, California home, aged 87.
Gladys Horton
Filed under: Singers — Tags: Gladys Horton — admin @ 1:29 pm
Born on May 30, 1945 in Gainesville, Florida.
Gladys Horton died at the age of 65 on January 26, 2011 at a nursing home in Sherman Oaks,California following several strokes.
Horton was an American R&B and pop singer, famous for being the founder and lead singer of the popular Motown all-female vocal group The Marvelettes.
Georgia Carroll
Filed under: Singers — Tags: Georgia Carroll — admin @ 3:59 pm
Born on November 18, 1919, In Blooming Grove, Texas
Georgia Carroll died in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on January 14, 2011, at the age of 91.
Georgia Carroll was an fashion model, American singer, and actress, best known for her work with Kay Kyser‘s big band orchestra in the mid-1940s.
Comments OffMichelle Nicastro
Filed under: Actors, Singers — Tags: Michelle Nicastro — admin @ 6:19 pm
The Swan Princess II – Escape From Castle Mountain [VHS]
Died November 5, 2010. Born March 31, 1960. She provided the voice of Princess Odette in The Swan Princess and its sequels, The Swan Princess II: Escape from Castle Mountain and The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom, and the singing voice of Callisto for the Xena: Warrior Princess episode “The Bitter Suite”.
She also had guest starring roles in Airwolf and Knight Rider. She appeared, briefly, as the college sweetheart of Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally. In 1996 she played Snow White in Coach episode “Grimmworld” as the girlfriend of Michael “Dauber” Daubinski (Bill Fagerbakke). Nicastro also had a small role in Full House as Roxanne. She also played Lois “Old Lady” Scranton on an episode of Who’s The Boss?.
On the stage, she created the role of Ariadne in the 1983 Broadway musical Merlin. She was the first Eponine in the second US tour of Les Misérables in 1988.
Nicastro has recorded four albums released on the Varese Saraband label. Two albums, Toonful and Toonful Too feature songs from animated musicals, Reel Imagination features songs from family musicals, and On My Own features songs from contemporary Broadway musicals, including her version of On My Own. They feature Paul Goldberg on drums and percussion, Walt Fowler on trumpet, Jimmy Hoff on bass, and Lanny Meyers piano/arranger.
Comments OffJames Freud
Filed under: Musicians, Singers — Tags: James Freud — admin @ 11:58 am
I Am the Voice Left From Drinking: The Models-from the ‘Burbs’ to ‘Barbados’ and beyond
Died November 4, 2010. Born June 29, 1959.
James Freud was an Australian rock musician-songwriter. He was a member of Models during the 1980s and wrote their two most popular singles, “Barbados” and “Out of Mind, Out of Sight”.
His autobiographies I Am the Voice Left from Drinking (2002) and I Am the Voice Left from Rehab (2007) detail his career in music entertainment and addictions. On 27 October 2010, Models were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame by former member Wendy Matthews, Freud’s absence from the ceremony was explained as being due to “another bicycle accident”. Freud committed suicide on 4 November and is survived by his wife, Sally, and two sons, Jackson and Harrison.
In 1982, Freud joined Models as bass guitarist after the departure of Mark Ferrie, reuniting with old collaborator Kelly. Freud shared lead vocalist duties on some songs, beginning with one of his compositions, “Facing The North Pole in August” from The Pleasure of Your Company, recorded in 1983. In 1985, Two Freud-penned hits, “Barbados” and “Out of Mind, Out of Sight”, took Models to No. 2 and No. 1 on the Australian singles chart, respectively. He remained in the band until they split in 1988.
