Date of Birth 20 November 1925, Springfield, Illinois, USA
Date of Death 21 June 1990, Sherman Oaks, California, USA
Birth Name Shirley Luster
Mini Biography
She was the Stan Kenton's big band singer, replacing Anita O'Day in 1945. She also worked with Boyd Raeburn and his orchestra before she joined the Kenton band. This blonde-blue eyed singer is one of the most talented female singers in the history of jazz. She recorded many albums for Capitol records in the fifties, the most famous; 'Something Cool' in 1953-54. In the following years she recorded other classic albums for the "Cool Jazz" in Capitol: "The Misty Miss Christy" in 1956, "Fair and warmer" in 1957, "The song is June" in 1958 and "Off beat" in 1960 - all albums with the arranger Pete Rugolo, who was Stan Kenton's arranger in the forties. She went into a semi retirement in the sixties and recorded her last album in 1977.
