June Christy

Although she originally sounded heavily influenced by Anita O'Day, June Christy's cool-toned yet cheerful style grew to be quite individual and popular, being both sensual and nonthreatening. She sang locally in Chicago and then received her big break, replacing O'Day with Stan Kenton's Orchestra in 1945. She had hits with "Tampico," "Shoo-Fly Pie" and "How High the Moon" and her renditions of ballads and novelties helped to keep the Kenton Orchestra going, contrasting with their more experimental and "progressive" works.

Christy married tenor-saxophonist Bob Cooper, cut her first solo recordings in 1947 and, after Kenton broke up his band in 1948, she had a very successful career. Her series of Capitol records in the 1950s (particularly "Something Cool" and "The Misty Miss Christy") defined the "cool jazz" singing style and sold quite well. Christy had occasional reunions with Kenton and, even after she drifted into retirement after 1965, she appeared with the bandleader at the 1972 Newport Jazz Festival. Though she came back for one final record in 1977, June Christy will always be associated with the 1950s. ~ Scott Yanow
Scott Yanow, All-Music Guide