In March 1955, a new show began airing on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) radio network called “Rosemary Clooney Sings.” The program aired on Thursday nights just as radio was starting to be eclipsed by television as the new entertainment medium. While TV gained inroads into American households, venerable stars like Jack Benny and Fred Allen ended their long-running radio series.
But Bing Crosby had had great success as a radio star so even though he transitioned to doing television as well (not all radio stars could or did), he had great faith in the power of the medium. Therefore, he convinced Rosey to do a show for his production company. Later, they teamed up for the “Ford Road Show” (1957-58), and still later did one together in the early ’60s. Some of the songs Ms. Clooney recorded for those shows are included in the CD “Rosemary Clooney: Rare & Unreleased.”
Here are some audio excerpts from Ms. Clooney's own show that have never been commercially released before.
In the first sample, announcer Johnny Jacobs and Rosey do a little skit about composer George and Ira Gershwin songs, and she sings a refrain from “Embraceable You,” followed by “I’ve Got Rhythm” — but does so in a little-girl voice to illustrate how long she’s loved songs by these two composers. Then she does a grown-up version of “But Not For Me.” What’s interesting about this is that Clooney bought George Gershwin’s home at 1019 North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills and lived in it for more than 50 years. It was on the “street of stars” where one might see Jimmy Stewart walking his dog, Jack Benny signing autographs, and Lucile Ball handing out Halloween candy. The Mediterranean style home Rosey lived in had also been a gathering place for an array of famous people, ranging from Lillian Hellman to Oscar Levant, Harold Arlen, Harpo Marx, Nat Cole and many more. Fanny Brice planted a night-blooming Jasmine. When the “Crosby-Clooney Show” debuted on CBS in 1961, the two of them used to tape wraparounds in Rosey’s living room.
Anyway, click the icon below to hear the little skit from her radio show:
Next Rosemary and her announcer talk about how singers sometimes score hits with songs in which they don’t have confidence, while tunes they think have great potential never make it to the charts. Rosemary shares a real-life anecdote about one of her biggest numbers.
Finally, you get to hear the sweet way Ms. Clooney typically ended her Thursday night shows. We overdubbed “Tenderly” for our new CD, “Rosemary Clooney: Rare & Unreleased.”
But Bing Crosby had had great success as a radio star so even though he transitioned to doing television as well (not all radio stars could or did), he had great faith in the power of the medium. Therefore, he convinced Rosey to do a show for his production company. Later, they teamed up for the “Ford Road Show” (1957-58), and still later did one together in the early ’60s. Some of the songs Ms. Clooney recorded for those shows are included in the CD “Rosemary Clooney: Rare & Unreleased.”
Here are some audio excerpts from Ms. Clooney's own show that have never been commercially released before.
In the first sample, announcer Johnny Jacobs and Rosey do a little skit about composer George and Ira Gershwin songs, and she sings a refrain from “Embraceable You,” followed by “I’ve Got Rhythm” — but does so in a little-girl voice to illustrate how long she’s loved songs by these two composers. Then she does a grown-up version of “But Not For Me.” What’s interesting about this is that Clooney bought George Gershwin’s home at 1019 North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills and lived in it for more than 50 years. It was on the “street of stars” where one might see Jimmy Stewart walking his dog, Jack Benny signing autographs, and Lucile Ball handing out Halloween candy. The Mediterranean style home Rosey lived in had also been a gathering place for an array of famous people, ranging from Lillian Hellman to Oscar Levant, Harold Arlen, Harpo Marx, Nat Cole and many more. Fanny Brice planted a night-blooming Jasmine. When the “Crosby-Clooney Show” debuted on CBS in 1961, the two of them used to tape wraparounds in Rosey’s living room.
Anyway, click the icon below to hear the little skit from her radio show:
Next Rosemary and her announcer talk about how singers sometimes score hits with songs in which they don’t have confidence, while tunes they think have great potential never make it to the charts. Rosemary shares a real-life anecdote about one of her biggest numbers.
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