KATE SMITH SANG HER WAY RIGHT INTO OUR HEARTS.
IN HONOR OF Mother's Day, WE ARE RUNNING KATE SMITH, which was my mother's and dad's favorite singer. Be sure to click the audio link above before you read further.
This audiocassette tape arrived on an afternoon that my wife Nancy had to go to her oncologist for a ProCrit shot and check-up. On those days I would wait in the car. While waiting that hot summer day in August 2001, I put the Carnagie Hall tape in the player. I had not heard Kate Smity's voice for 40 yearsexcept the televised Philadelphia Flyer hockey games a few years ago. When the tape stared I was stunned... so many memories raced through my mind and I cried through the whole concert. I hope that you are old enough for this Ramblin' audio to, if not bring a tear at least make you stop a moment and remember how incredible the gift of life is no matter what we have to face. Now here's Kate's
minibio.
"KATE SMITH." The mention of her name still evokes a warm feeling of nostalgia in the hearts of millions who are old enough recall Kate and her thrilling renditions of popular ballads -- and her powerful, outgoing personality and infectious laughter. Her autographed publicity photo shown here is a prized part of my radio memorabilia collection.
An untiring patriot, Kate Smith was honored by every President from Roosevelt, who called her an "American treasure", to Reagan, who gave her the highest civilian award in the nation, the Medal of Freedom. During the Second World War, she was personally credited with selling six hundred million dollars in Defense Bonds. Do you have any idea of what $ 600,000,000 was in the early 1940's?
Kate was called the "First Lady of Song" or "America's Southern Songbird" by her peers. Voted one of the three most beloved and important women of her time, Kate Smith was the very embodiment of the American spirit and an inspiration to millions everywhere. Her popularity and her music transcended a half century, all the way from vaudeville to soft rock. She introduced over six hundred popular songs. Yes, you read correctly -- 600 popular songs! More than twenty of her records were million sellers -- back in a culture when selling a million records really meant something.
As a true pioneer in both radio and television, her importance as a public personality is unsurpassed in the annals of broadcasting history. She is undeniably an American original! Can you believe that Kate Smith was more powerful as leader, entertainer, and spokesperson for all America than any one since including Ophra Winfrey, Sen. Hillary Clinton, or Condalisa Rice. Hard to believe, but it's very true.
Kate had been making records since 1926 but was discovered in 1930 by Columbia Records vice president Ted Collins, who became her partner and manager who developed her public career which included her radio programs. Kate was an immediate success on radio and she soon broke the record for the number of continous performances at the legendary Palace Theatre.
She soon had the most popular radio variety program, The Kate Smith Hour, which aired weekly from 1937-45. At the same time she had the No. 1 daytime radio show, the midday Kate Smith Speaks, a news and commentary program. Everyone listened to this show which she did with her agent, sidekick, and beloved friend, Ted Collins. She talked about issues before talk radio, gave the editorialized news, entertained and interviewed guests. In 1950 Kate entered television with a Monday-Friday afternoon variety show, The Kate Smith Hour (1950-54). It proved so popular that NBC gave her a prime-time show on Wednesday evenings, The Kate Smith Evening Hour. Her last TV series was CBS’s The Kate Smith Show, a weekly half-hour musical series in 1960.
Kate's biggest hits were River, Stay ’Way From My Door (1931), The Woodpecker Song (1940), The White Cliffs of Dover (1941), I Don’t Want to Walk Without You (1942), There Goes That Song Again (1944), Seems Like Old Times (1946), and Now Is the Hour (1947).
Her theme song was "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain," whose lyrics she helped write. Irving Berlin regarded the song she made most famous, "God Bless America," as his most important composition. In 1938 Kate predicted that the song would still be sung long after all of us are gone—and it surely will.
In the fifties and sixties, she began making LP albums, with such best sellers as Kate Smith at Carnegie Hall (1963), How Great Thou Art (1965), and America’s Favorites: Kate Smith/Arthur Fiedler/Boston Pops (1967). You can hear the entire Kate Smith at Carnagie Hall on Norm's Radio. My prize collection of "mint" LP albums includes all of Kate Smith's albums from the 1950's and 1960's as well as many of her 78's and some of the sheet music that used to be on every piano. I also have a full collection of Guy Lombardo, Wayne King, and Fred Waring LP's. I'd be honored to send you a CD of some of them. All you need to do is send me your address and I'll get one off to you.
Kate was a regular part of the home I grew up in -- we had her receipe books, 78rpm records, sheet music, books, listened to her radio programs, and watched her television shows. Her photo was in all the magazines and on billboards endorsing various products as Michael Jordon or Tiger Woods are today.
Kate Smith has a passion for wood inboard boats. I knew that as a boy as I knew that Guy Lombardo was a champion speedboat driver and owner. Kate owned a 1929 Chris Craft and loved it. As I remember she had it on a lake in upstate New York and was photographed with it often. Restoration Hardware had one of the photos some five years ago AND I DIDN'T BUY IT? I found a great photograph on the Internet that was made possible by Kate's official web site and association. I have a link to it below.
Kate Smith had a voice you never forgot once you heard it. Be sure to click the audio above and listen to 30 minutes of her 1968 concert in Carnagie Hall. It will introduce the youngun's to a jewel they missed. And to those who know....? a wonderful moment of memory and maybe a tear or two.
Enjoy the links we have provided below for your web surfing pleasure:
