Beryl Davis
| Beryl Davis | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Jazz standards |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1942–2011 |
| Labels | Hindsight |
| Associated acts | Django Reinhardt, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, The Four Girls |
Beryl Davis (16 March 1924 – 28 October 2011) was a British-born American big band singer. Her younger sister is Lisa Davis Waltz, a teen actress in the 1950s and 1960s and later, the voice of Cruella DeVille in Disney's 101 Dalmatians.
Born in Plymouth, England to Harry Lomax Davis and Queenie Davis, she began to sing for her father's band,[1] and became popular singing for British and Allied troops during World War II. Glenn Miller discovered her in London, and she sang for the Army Air Force Orchestra. She also performed and recorded with Django Reinhardt in Paris.[2][3] She moved to Los Angeles after the war with her father's big band, and with Frank Sinatra for one year on Your Hit Parade.[4]
She was part of The Four Girls singing group, with Jane Russell, Rhonda Fleming, Della Russell and Connie Haines. They recorded sixteen singles, and albums which became best sellers.[2] She appeared both in variety shows and films.[5][6]
She was married to William Mann Moore (aka Peter Potter), Disc Jockey and host of the 1950s Emmy Winning television show, Jukebox Jury. They had three children, William Bell, Merry Bell and Melinda Beryl. The marriage ended in divorce.
In 1996, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to her.[7]
Death
On 28 October 2011, Davis died in Los Angeles from complications of Alzheimer's disease, at age 87.[8] She was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles.[9]
Discography
- I'll Be Seeing You, December 1999, Hindsight Record Company, Catalog No: HIN 278
- Alone Together, October 2000
- I Hear a Dream, June 2001[10]
- Feel The Spirit, JASCD 479, 16 May 2008, Bar Code: 604988 04792 9[11]
]
References
- ↑ David Mulliss. "Touchoftonga.com". Touchoftonga.com. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- 1 2 "Djangofest.com". Djangofest.com. 2000-11-11. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- ↑ "Amazon.com". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- ↑ "Songsbysinatra.com". Songsbysinatra.com. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- ↑ IMDb.com
- ↑ "People.theiapolis.com". People.theiapolis.com. 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- ↑ "Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated" (PDF). Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- ↑ "Beryl Davis Obituary". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- ↑ Beryl Davis at Find a Grave
- ↑ New.us.music.yahoo.com
- ↑ "Jasmine-records.co.uk". Jasmine-records.co.uk. 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beryl Davis. |
- "Beryl", Big Band
- Beryl Davis of The 4 Girls
- "Beryl Davis", Discogs
- Jane Russell (2L) on Peter Potter's (L) radio show with Davis (2R) and Connie Haines (R). (Photo by Allan Grant//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)
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