Rosemary Clooney overcame a broken home and an alcoholic father and eventually became a band singer for the Tony
Pastor band. She enjoyed a long, solid career that included many best-selling records and some solid movie roles - and ended up as George Clooney's aunt.
Billie Holiday was famously known for struggling with problems for much of her life, with a background that she said included working as a prostitute, and her battles with drugs were well known. However, she formed musical partnerships with many of the greats, including Count Basie and Artie Shaw, and she's remembered as one of the best singers ever. The songbirds were a fascinating part of the musical history of the big band era, and there were many others I haven't even mentioned. All their stories are endlessly fascinating, and I'd encourage everyone to read more. A good place to start is the music wiki.
Article comments