Kitty Kallen

Kitty Kallen, born Katie Kallen on 25 May 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an American singer whose career extended from the 1930s to the 1960s. She began singing professionally in the late 1930s, performing with big bands led by Jan Savitt, Artie Shaw, and Jack Teagarden. She then joined Jimmy Dorsey's band in 1942 and later performed with Harry James' band from 1943 to 1945. After World War II, she embarked on a solo career, signing with various labels including Decca. Her breakthrough came in 1954 with the release of "Little Things Mean a Lot", which stayed at number one on the US Billboard chart for nine consecutive weeks and was named the year's top song. She continued to achieve chart success with songs like "In the Chapel in the Moonlight" and "True Love". The combination of her psychological difficulties and the changing music scene prompted her decision to step away from performing for three years, but she returned to record with Columbia in 1959 and then RCA Victor in 1963, releasing notable songs like "If I Give My Heart to You" and "My Coloring Book". Her final album was the bossa nova-influenced Quiet Nights, released by 20th Century Fox Records. Kitty Kallen passed away on 7 January 2016.