Personnel:
Corky Shayne, Georgia Carr (vcl), Don Fagerquist (tp), Ray Sims (tb), Ronny Lang (as), Floyd Morris, John T. Williams (p), Wilbur Wynne, Tommy Tedesco (g), Johnnie Pate, Buddy Clark (b), Charles Walton, Bill Richmond (d), Lew Raymond (dir)
Reference: FSR V117 CD
Bar code: 8427328641173
The Best Voices Time Forgot
Collectible Albums by Top Female Vocalists
· Collector's Edition
· 2 Original LPs on 1 CD
· Original Cover Art, Liner Notes
· Complete Personnel Details
· Newly Remastered in 24-Bit
…In the Mood for a Song?
Corky Shayne worked hard from an early age to perfect her style. Like many she started by singing with high school dance bands, but she also performed in every talent show that would have her. By the early fifties she began appearing in various supper clubs around her native Chicago accompanied by pianist Dick Marx and bassist Johnny Frigo. This led to her appearing in various local TV shows, and eventually — in 1956, at age 24— to her first and only album, for Salem Records. For her debut she picked up a dozen romantic standards that she sang in a straight ungimmicked approach, accompanied by the Johnnie Pate Quartet —not only a fine bass player and leader, but also an accomplished arranger who scored all the backgrounds of this album.
Songs by a Moody Miss
The big break for Georgia Carr came in 1946 when she tied for firstplace with singer April Stevens in a talent contest. That have her the push to quit her secretarial job in Los Angeles, and move to San Diego, where she sang at club Royal for six years. When bandleader Stan Kenton happened into the club, he immediately recognized her talent, and introduced her to Capitol Records. The label agreed she was destined to hit the bigtime, so they launched a nation-wide promotional campaign, and with several hit recordings behind her, an engagement at New York’s Birdland brought her top billing and assurance of stardom. From then on, Georgia appeared on countless supper clubs throughout the nation, accompanied by her musical mentor and pianist Eddie Beal. In 1958, backed by a group of ace Hollywood musicians, she recorded the LP 'Songs by a Moody Miss' for Tops Records, and was credited on the album sleeve as “America’s Foremost Night Club Singer.” Back then Georgia was a singing personality of nationwide fame, and although some of it slowly vanished during the Sixties, she remained active until the end of the decade.
"It completely amazes me how many fantastic singers were around a half century ago, and how so many of them have become overlooked. Take my advice; before you plop down some money for today’s singers who all sound like everyone else, give a listen to these ladies who sound fresher, swing harder and have more style and sass than any dozen around today.
Fresh Sound’s latest of The Best Voices Time Forgot features two ladies. The first one from 1956, clear toned Corky Shayne teams with bassist Johnnie Pate’s combo that includes a swinging Wilbur Wynnne on guitar for a relaxed “Two Sleepy People” and an cozy “Just Squeeze Me.” She has an affinity for using the obscure intros to the show tunes, giving a clever “If I Only Had A Brain” and luminous “Autumn In New York.” R&B voiced Georgia Carr sounds like she took her Dakota Staton pills on this 1958 session as she gives a peppy “Cheek To Cheek” and strides with pianist John T. Williams on “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home.” She plunges with trumpeter Don Fagerquist on a ribald “Sugar Blues” and gets earthy on “Gotta Walk, Can’t Sleep.” Bold and beautiful."
George W. Harris (December 16, 2019)
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