June Christy (born Shirley Luster; November 20, 1925 – June 21, 1990) was an American singer, known for her work in the cool jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals. Her success as a singer began with The Stan Kenton Orchestra. She pursued a solo career from 1954 and is best known for her debut album Something Cool. After her death, she was hailed as "one of the finest and most neglected singers of her time."

Biography Early life

Shirley Luster was born in Springfield, Illinois, United States. She moved with her parents Steve and Marie (née Crain) Luster to Decatur, Illinois, when she was three years old. She began to sing with the Decatur-based Bill Oetzel Orchestra at thirteen. While attending Decatur High School she appeared with Oetzel and his society band, the Ben Bradley Band, and Bill Madden's Band.

Her first work outside of Decatur was with the Dick Cisne Orchestra of nearby Champaign, Illinois, performing as far away as Texas and Louisiana. After high school she moved to Chicago, changed her name to Sharon Leslie, and sang with a group led by Boyd Raeburn. Later she joined Benny Strong's band. In 1944, Strong's band moved to New York City at the same time Christy was quarantined in Chicago with scarlet fever.

Work with Stan Kenton's Orchestra

In 1945, after hearing that Anita O'Day had left Stan Kenton's Orchestra, she auditioned and was chosen for the role as a vocalist. During this time, she changed her name once again, becoming June Christy.

Her voice produced hits such as "Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy", the million-selling "Tampico" in 1945, and "How High the Moon". "Tampico" was Kenton's biggest-selling record. When the Kenton orchestra temporarily disbanded in 1948, she sang in nightclubs for a short time, and reunited with the band two years later.Sparke, Michael. Stan Kenton: This Is an Orchestra! Christy appeared as guest vocalist on the Kenton albums: Artistry in Rhythm (Capitol BD-39, 1946 ), A Presentation of Progressive Jazz (Capitol CD-79, 1947 ), Encores (Capitol CC-113, 1945–47 ), Innovations in Modern Music (Capitol P-189, 1950), Stan Kenton Presents (Capitol L/P-248, 1950), Stan Kenton Classics (Capitol H/T-358, 1944–47 ), and The Kenton Era (Capitol WDX-569, 1940–54, ).

Beginning on September 28, 1959, Christy began a five-week road tour of 38 performances called Road Show. The all-star billing: Stan Kenton and his Orchestra, June Christy, and The Four Freshmen. Capitol recorded highlights on October 10 at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, for a two-disc LP, reissued on CD in 1988.

Solo career

From 1947, she started to work on her own records, primarily with arranger and bandleader Pete Rugolo. In 1954, she released a 10-inch LP entitled Something Cool, recorded with Rugolo and his orchestra, a gathering of notable Los Angeles jazz musicians that included alto saxophonist Bud Shank and Christy's husband, multi-instrumentalist Bob Cooper. Something Cool was re-released as a 12-inch LP in 1955 with additional selections, and then entirely rerecorded in stereo in 1960 with somewhat different personnel. Christy would later say the album was "the only thing I've recorded that I'm not unhappy with". Something Cool was also important in launching the vocal cool movement of the 1950s, and it hit the Top 20 Charts, as did her third album, The Misty Miss Christy (1956).

In the 1950s and 1960s, Christy appeared on a number of television programs, including the short-lived CBS show Adventures in Jazz (1949), Eddie Condon's Floor Show (1949), The Jackie Gleason Show (1953), The Tonight Show (1955), The Nat King Cole Show (1957), Stars of Jazz (1958), The Steve Allen Show (1959), The Lively Ones (1963), Not Only But Also (UK 1965), and The Joey Bishop Show (1967). She also appeared on the first sponsored jazz concert on television, The Timex All-Star Jazz Show I (December 30, 1957),Terrace, Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television: Series, Pilots and Specials, 1937-1973, p. 438. which also featured Louis Armstrong, Carmen McRae, Duke Ellington, and Gene Krupa.

Christy played in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and Japan, but the extensive touring eventually began taking a toll on her marriage, and she pulled back from touring by the 1960s.McClellan, Lawrence. The Later Swing Era, 1942 to 1955, pp. 92–93.

Richard Cook and Brian Morton, writers of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, appreciated the singer's body of work: "Christy's wholesome but particularly sensuous voice is less an improviser's vehicle than an instrument for long, controlled lines and the shading of a fine vibrato. Her greatest momentsthe heartbreaking 'Something Cool' itself, 'Midnight Sun', 'I Should Care'are as close to creating definitive interpretations as any singer can come."

Personal life

Christy was married to Bob Cooper in 1947. In 1954, she gave birth to a daughter, Shay Christy Cooper (September 1, 1954February 21, 2014). She also had an older brother, Jack A. Luster (19202013).

Later years and death

Christy semi-retired from the music business in 1969, in part because of alcoholism.

In 1972, she sang at the Newport Jazz Festival in New York City, where she was reunited with the Kenton Orchestra. She also performed at a handful of jazz festivals during the late 1970s and 1980s, playing with a band of all-star West Coast jazz musicians led by Shorty Rogers, as well as taking part in a number of world tours.

Christy returned to the recording studio in 1977 to record her final solo LP, Impromptu. She recorded an interview in 1987 for a Paul Cacia produced album called The Alumni Tribute to Stan Kenton on the Happy Hour label. A number of other Kenton alumni (Shorty Rogers, Lee Konitz, Jack Sheldon, among them) interspersed their tunes with reminiscences of the man and the years on the road.

Christy toured one final time in 1985, again with Shorty Rogers. In her final performance, she shared the bill with Chet Baker.

Christy died at her home in Sherman Oaks, California, of kidney failure on June 21, 1990, at the age of 64.

Discography Albums

YearAlbumLabel 1953Get Happy (vinyl) Capitol Records1954Something Cool 1955Duet Something Cool (4 additional songs; reissue)1956The Misty Miss Christy 1957Fair and Warmer!Gone for the Day 1958This Is June Christy! (compilation album)June's Got RhythmThe Song Is June! 1959June Christy Recalls Those Kenton DaysBallads for Night PeopleRoad Show 1960The Cool SchoolSomething Cool (stereo version)Off-Beat 1961Do-Re-Mi (A Modern Interpretation of the Hit Broadway Musical) This Time of Year 1962The Best of June Christy (compilation album)Big Band Specials 1963The Intimate Miss ChristyThe Swinging Chicks Camay Records1965Something Broadway, Something Latin Capitol Records1977Impromptu Interplay Records, Discovery Records (reissue) 1986A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening Jasmine RecordsThe Uncollected June Christy with The Kentones Hindsight Records1987The Uncollected June Christy, Vol. II Hindsight Records

Compilation CDs

Release dateAlbumLabel1994June Christy and the Stan Kenton OrchestraCollectors' Choice Music 1995Day Dreams (1947–1955)Capitol RecordsThrough the Years (1946/1957/1965)Hindsight RecordsSpotlight On...June ChristyCapitol Records1997The Best of June Christy: The Jazz SessionsCapitol Records1998A Friendly Session, Vol. 1 Jasmine Records 1999A Friendly Session, Vol. 2 Jasmine RecordsLive at the Newport Jazz Festival, July 1972 Jazz Band 2000The Ballad CollectionCapitol RecordsA Friendly Session, Vol. 3 Jasmine Records2002Cool Christy (1945–1951)Proper Records2012101 Essential June Christy: Something CoolAP Music Ltd.2019The June Christy/Stan Kenton Collection 1945–1955Acrobat

Television appearances

DateSeriesSongs 1949 Adventures in Jazz Unknown Art Ford Show Eddie Condon's Floor Show 1950 The Alan Young Show Jack Carter Show September 29, 1950 Penthouse Party December 1, 1951 Penthouse Party July 3, 1953 The Jackie Gleason Show 1955 The Tonight Show with Steve Allen March 9, 1956 Stars of Jazz September 7, 1957 Nat King Cole Show I Want to Be Happy; How High the Moon December 30, 1957 Timex All Star Jazz I Want to be Happy March 3, 1958 Stars of Jazz Get Happy; That's All February 6, 1958 Stars of Jazz I Want to Be Happy; That's All January 10, 1959 Playboy's Penthouse How High the Moon; I Want to Be Happy; Something Cool November 23, 1959 The Steve Allen Plymouth Show Midnight Sun; Medley with Steve and Mel October 9, 1962 The Steve Allen Playhouse Midnight Sun; Willow Weep for Me November 2, 1963 One O'Clock ShowUnknown August 8, 1963 The Lively Ones I'll Take Romance; Midnight Sun October 1, 1964 On Stage Unknown February 24, 1965 The Mike Douglas Show February 6, 1965 Not Only But Also You Came a Long Way From St. Louis; Just in Time; Remind Me; My Shining Hour December 8, 1965 Mike Douglas Show Unknown August 11, 1967 The Joey Bishop Show February 20, 1968 Woody Woodbury Show A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening; My Shining Hour; Midnight Sun (with Stan Kenton) June 30, 1972 The Dick Cavett Show A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening; Remind Me; My Shining Hour 1972 Words & Music by Bobby Troup (with Stan Kenton) The Meaning of the Blues; Hey Daddy; Lonely Girl February 6, 1975 New Morning Unknown

References

External links

June Christy at last.fm