Fran Warren
Encyclopedia
Frances Wolfe known by her stage name
, Fran Warren, is an American
popular
singer.
She was born as to a Jewish family in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City
. After some time on a chorus line at New York's Roxy Theater, she auditioned with the big band
of Duke Ellington
at age 16; though she never made it into Ellington's band, she soon became a singer with bands led by Randy Brooks, Art Mooney
, Billy Eckstine
, Charlie Barnet
, and Claude Thornhill
. It was Eckstine who gave her the stage name of Fran Warren. With Charlie Barnet, she replaced Kay Starr
as featured vocalist. In 1947
, she made the charts for the first time, with the Thornhill band's recording of "A Sunday Kind Of Love
" on Columbia Records
. She made a number of other records with Thornhill that year.
In 1948
she went solo, signing with RCA Records
. On RCA she made a number of recordings, but her biggest hit was a duet with Tony Martin
, "I Said My Pajamas (and Put On My Pray'rs)
" which reached No. 3 on the charts. Other recordings which she made include more duets with Tony Martin and with Lisa Kirk
.
In the early 1950s, after a number of her RCA records failed to chart, she moved to MGM Records
. She had a number of records for MGM, making her last chart hit in 1953
with "It's Anybody's Heart". She recorded the LP Hey There! Here's Fran Warren, with arrangements and conducting by Marty Paich
(Tops/Pickwick, 1957).[]
Warren appeared as a guest on several television variety programs in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and she had a supporting role in the 1952 comedy film Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd
. Also in the 1950s, she also started to play in musical comedy, performing in The Pajama Game
in the mid-1950s and later playing the title role in Mame. She did not neglect her band singing, touring with Harry James
in the 1960s. In 1964, she received negative publicity and lost bookings when arrested for marijuana possession.
In the late 1970's, she reconnected with musical director and trumpet player Joe Cabot
, with whom she had worked extensively during the 1950's and 1960's. From 1979-1982, they toured together with the musical review The Big Broadcast of 1944, and enjoyed two sold-out engagements at New York City's acclaimed jazz club, Michael's Pub.
She currently resides in Connecticut
.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
, Fran Warren, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
popular
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
singer.
She was born as to a Jewish family in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. After some time on a chorus line at New York's Roxy Theater, she auditioned with the big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
of Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
at age 16; though she never made it into Ellington's band, she soon became a singer with bands led by Randy Brooks, Art Mooney
Art Mooney
Art Mooney was an American popular bandleader. His biggest hits were "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" and "Baby Face" in 1948 and "Nuttin' For Christmas," with Barry Gordon, in 1955...
, Billy Eckstine
Billy Eckstine
William Clarence Eckstine was an American singer of ballads and a bandleader of the swing era. Eckstine's smooth baritone and distinctive vibrato broke down barriers throughout the 1940s, first as leader of the original bop big-band, then as the first romantic black male in popular...
, Charlie Barnet
Charlie Barnet
Charles Daly Barnet was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.His major recordings were "Skyliner", "Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", "In a Mizz", and "Southland Shuffle".-Early life:...
, and Claude Thornhill
Claude Thornhill
Claude Thornhill was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader...
. It was Eckstine who gave her the stage name of Fran Warren. With Charlie Barnet, she replaced Kay Starr
Kay Starr
Kay Starr is an American pop and jazz singer who enjoyed considerable success in the 1940s and 50s. She is best remembered for introducing two songs that became #1 hits in the 1950s, "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Rock And Roll Waltz"....
as featured vocalist. In 1947
1947 in music
-Events:*August 7 – Carlo Bergonzi makes his professional debut as Schaunard in La Bohème at the Arena Argentina in Catania.*October – Enrico De Angelis leaves Quartetto Cetra to join the army...
, she made the charts for the first time, with the Thornhill band's recording of "A Sunday Kind Of Love
A Sunday Kind of Love
"A Sunday Kind of Love" is a popular song composed by Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Stan Rhodes, and Louis Prima, published in 1946.The song has become a pop and jazz standard, recorded by many artists.- Notable recordings :...
" on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. She made a number of other records with Thornhill that year.
In 1948
1948 in music
-Events:*May 20 - The Second International Congress of Composers and Music Critics 1948 opens in Prague.*June 5 - Opening of the first Aldeburgh Festival, founded by Benjamin Britten, Eric Crozier and Peter Pears....
she went solo, signing with RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. On RCA she made a number of recordings, but her biggest hit was a duet with Tony Martin
Tony Martin (entertainer)
Tony Martin is an American actor and singer.-Career:Tony Martin was born on Christmas Day, 1913 as Alvin Morris in San Francisco, California to Jewish immigrant parents. He received a saxophone as a gift from his grandmother at the age of ten. In his grammar school glee club, he became an...
, "I Said My Pajamas (and Put On My Pray'rs)
I Said My Pajamas (and Put on My Pray'rs)
"I Said My Pajamas " is a popular song.The music was written by George Wyle, the lyrics by Edward Pola. It was published in 1949....
" which reached No. 3 on the charts. Other recordings which she made include more duets with Tony Martin and with Lisa Kirk
Lisa Kirk
Lisa Kirk was an American actress and singer noted for her comic talents and rich contralto .-Career:...
.
In the early 1950s, after a number of her RCA records failed to chart, she moved to MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
. She had a number of records for MGM, making her last chart hit in 1953
1953 in music
-Events:*February 6 – Contralto Kathleen Ferrier, already terminally ill with cancer, leaves Covent Garden Opera House on a stretcher after being taken ill on the second night of her run in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice....
with "It's Anybody's Heart". She recorded the LP Hey There! Here's Fran Warren, with arrangements and conducting by Marty Paich
Marty Paich
Martin Louis "Marty" Paich was an American pianist, composer, arranger, producer, music director and conductor....
(Tops/Pickwick, 1957).[]
Warren appeared as a guest on several television variety programs in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and she had a supporting role in the 1952 comedy film Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd is a 1952 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, along with Charles Laughton, who reprised his role as the infamous pirate from the 1945 film Captain Kidd.-Plot:...
. Also in the 1950s, she also started to play in musical comedy, performing in The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7½ Cents by Richard Bissell. It features a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where worker demands for a seven-and-a-half cents raise are going unheeded...
in the mid-1950s and later playing the title role in Mame. She did not neglect her band singing, touring with Harry James
Harry James
Henry Haag “Harry” James was a trumpeter who led a jazz swing band during the Big Band Era of the 1930s and 1940s. He was especially known among musicians for his astonishing technical proficiency as well as his superior tone.-Biography:He was born in Albany, Georgia, the son of a bandleader of a...
in the 1960s. In 1964, she received negative publicity and lost bookings when arrested for marijuana possession.
In the late 1970's, she reconnected with musical director and trumpet player Joe Cabot
Joe Cabot
Joe Cabot is an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and musical director. He is best known for his responsive phrasing and mute-on/mute-off virtuosity. His original composition, "Slow Down, Sugar, Take Your Time," was praised by music critic John Wilson and likened to the stylings of the Nat...
, with whom she had worked extensively during the 1950's and 1960's. From 1979-1982, they toured together with the musical review The Big Broadcast of 1944, and enjoyed two sold-out engagements at New York City's acclaimed jazz club, Michael's Pub.
She currently resides in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
External links
- Bio on The Interlude Era website
- Bio on The Iceberg website