One, For The Wonder (Of Your Kisses) - Helen O'Connell ~ 1952

Описание: Helen O'Connell was born on May 23, 1920 in Lima, Ohio, but grew up mostly in Toledo. At 15 years old, her and her sister, Alice, would sing duets in clubs, hotels, and eventually radio stations around town. Her professional music career really got going when she became the singer for Larry Funk and his Band of a Thousand Melodies. It was with this band that Jimmy Dorsey's manager discovered her.

By 1939, she had joined Dorsey's band and with his orchestra's backing, scored hit after hit in the early 1940's with their 1942 recording of "Brazil" getting added to the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2009. A DownBeat magazine reader's poll determined she was the best female singer in 1940 and 1941, even winning the 1940 Metronome Magazine for best female vocalist. As was common at the time, upon her marriage in 1943, she stepped away from the lime light to raise a family, although most people don't do it at the height of their career.

That marriage would dissolve however, and by 1951, she resumed her career as a solo act. She made regular appearances on radio and TV and sang duets with Bing Crosby, Johnny Mercer, and Dean Martin among others. She and Bob Eberly would host the series "TV's Top Tunes" in 1953. She would tour Australia in 1955 as a supporting act for Johnnie Ray's tour there. This tour broke all box office records at the time and stood for nearly a decade, only being eclipsed by the Beatles in 1964. She would continue hosting television and radio shows well into the late 1950's. She was even hired as one of the first female presenters on NBC's The Today Show.

She stayed more busy with TV after that point, co-hosting "Here's Hollywood" in the early 1960's, co-hosting the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants with Bob Barker from 1972 to 1980, and even getting nominated for an Emmy because of it. She did still sing and perform though. In 1977, O'Connell was invited to join the "4 Girls 4" show comprising Rosemary Clooney, Margaret Whiting and Rose Marie. The format was that each member performed solo for 30 minutes and finally they all joined up together to sing as a group for about ten minutes. The act was very successful for several years and toured all over the USA until the group disbanded in 1989. She was also chosen to sing the national anthem for Super Bowl XV in 1981.

She would make her last performance in August 1993, passing away a month later.

Today's song, "One, For The Wonder (Of Your Kisses)", is a sweet little tune written by Sid Tepper and Roy Brodsky. It was recorded in early 1952, releasing in July of the same year.