June Christy - The Anecdotes - Part 4

  • "Elephant and Castle" - Richard Hazlewood

    Have recently discovered your excellent June Christy site. I'm a committed fan and have been since I first heard 'The Misty Miss Christy' back when originally released in the UK. I'm almost 56 and back then I had an after school job in a small record outlet in Fulham, London. Since then I have devoured everything the market would offer me, all of course on CD now. I had the pleasure of going to one of the 'Road Show' concerts at the Elephant and Castle (if my memory serves me well) where I saw another favourite, the Four Freshmen perform with her. I'm not sure the big band, Bob Miller and the Millermen if I recall correctly, was a match for Kenton though. I loved the show and my girlfriend and I waited by the stage door afterwards to get their autographs (which I still have!). In those days there didn't seem to be the same obsession with security and we were able to chat for a while. My friend posed for a press photo with June signing her program. If that photo ever got published anywhere I would like to know. I can put you in touch with my friend if it's in your memorabilia. My recollection is that it was the only one taken after that concert. I moved to Australia in 1972, where I still am, and occasionally come across another fan, but not many. I buy all my CDs off the internet, except for Mosaic to whom I subscribe by mail order. I'm suprised there aren't more live sessions in the can somewhere. Anyway, thanks for your committment to June Christy, and be assured of another regular visitor.

  • "Extremely Good" - Paul.Bladon

    It's an extremely good June Christy site! I'm much too young to have ever bought the originals, so this sort of info. is invaluable to me... I particularly wanted to see and hear the Xmas album - I've tried loads of sites to purchase it but no luck. I LOVED looking at all the "Capitol" covers. Many thanks.

  • "A Real Doll" - Hal White

    Am interested in the life of June Christy. I say her twice while she was the singer for Stan Kenton. She was a real doll in 1946 -- the last time I saw her. I listen to many of her records on DMX --Great Standards. She was really a great one! From the mid 40's, when I first heard Stan Kenton with the electric bass, I have been smitten with his orchestra. When Anita O'Day left and June Christy took over as singer I felt it was a good trade-off as both were great jazz artists. For the last 25 years or so I kind of lost track of June and when seeking info on the web, I learned that she died in 1990. The recordings I hear now on the DMX she sounds so fresh and young. It is too bad they have to age.

  • "Praise Indeed!" - Pete Venudor

    Pete Venudor - Stan Kenton collector/discographer Thank you for your most interesting webpages on June Christy!

  • "Love of my life" - Jack Foster

    I have just discovered your web site devoted to the love of my life and just had to say 'Thank You'. I first heard June in the mid-forties when I was about seven or eight and have loved her ever since. I have many of her albums but none that have escaped you, I'm afraid, but if anything comes my way I will most certainly let you know.

  • "Innovations in Modern Music" - Anthony Roberts

    May I just say that I saw June Christy in the early fifties during Stan Kenton's "Inovations in Modern Music" tour. The stage was darkened with only the pin lights of the musicians' stands showing. Suddenly a spotlight exploded onto the beautiful face of June Christy and her first words were "I'm not much to look at." The audience roared because she was so magificent and they were, from then on, totally in her hands. That concert was one of the most impressive I have ever seen.

  • "Elephant and Castle" - Richard Hazlewood

    Our previous communication re the Elephant and Castle got me looking into my own memorabilia. Guess what, I found the original program, autographed by June and the Four Freshmen, the original ticket, and what my memory had let me down on, the ticket for the Hammersmith Odeon concert on the same tour. I now remember that I saw them twice! Can you believe the admission price was only 4 Shillings and 6 Pence at the Elephant for the first show, and 6/6d for the second show at the Odeon!!!!! I also wrote down the songs in June's set on the programme but not the other performers. If I can get this all scanned for e-mailing would it be of interest to you for your memorabilia collection, or do you have it already???

  • " decatur? springfield?" - Bob Auler

    i'm a lawyer from champaign, illinois, about 45 miles east of decatur, where june christy lived. i note in your website a repro from a passport seeming to imply she was from springfield (about 45 miles west of decatur). springfield is the state capital and is a likely place people from decatur would have gone to get a passport in the middle of the century because there is a federal courthouse there and the passport agency has an office. not that it's impossible she was born in springfield...there are good hospitals there...but decatur isn't exactly backwoods, either. it's an industrial town of about 75,0000, the home of archer daniels midland, the worldwide food cartel, and has a large soybean processing industry. also large plants manufacturing caterpillar earthmoving equipment and various tires for various makes of cars. if there is a serious question of where she was born, both cities would maintain birth records at the county clerk's office (not to be confused with the circuit clerk's office, which is an adjunct of the court system). the address in decatur would be: clerk of macon county decatur, illinois springfield would be: clerk of sangamon county springfield, illinois a pretty easy thing to check. and thanks for the website. i was a jazz dj in the fifties and sixties and loved her stuff with and without kenton (i once did a review and interview of kenton in '62). my personal favorite is "they call me coquette and mademoiselle...and i must admit it suits me quite well..."

  • " high school with Shirley Luster" - William Barnes

    Went to high school with Shirley Luster in Decatur, Ill in the early 40's. Since I spent many years running around the world in airplanes, I lost track of her. She was mentioned at our high school class reunion a few years ago. The only picture I have of June (Shirley) is in a high school year book dated 1942. I didn't get the 1943 high school year book. I have no clippings. I was drafted into the military in January of 1944. So was out of touch.

  • "June's Got Rhythm" - Michael Bachman

    Do you know where to get June's Got Rhythm? The first cd of June that I bought was Spotlight On and now I am up to 7 of her cd's. I have been buying 1 a month as of late. What a great artist she was. Somebody should write a book about her. In the meantime, keep up the good work on her via The Misty Miss Christy Home Page.

  • "WBBM, Chicago" - Tony Jagger

    Your June Christy pages are excellent. I heard June Christy mainly on WBBM, Chicago in the 60s when I was a student. I can't remember the DJ's name, however. He played lots of Nancy Wilson and June and Chris O'Conner if I remember correctly. Nancy Wilson was always "Nancy Baby"

  • "A great Thrill" - Michael Anderson

    A great Thrill, just found your web site & viewed the1953 Dublin page,I was 20, just demobbed, semi pro trumpeter & completely " knocked out " with my trip to Dublin. Marvellous to see the pics etc. I now live down the Conway Valley having lived in Leicester all my life until 1984 & have seen most of the touring bands. The Ellington band were in LLandudno the other week and were most impressive.Andy Prior is another new favourite of mine.Looking forward to the Wigan Jazz festival this year.Congratulations on your web site a labour of love I feel.

  • "Sunset Strip in Hollywood" - Don Pool

    I'm delighted to find a Web site featuring June Christy. I heard her perform in the late 1950s on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. One of my most memorable musical experiences. I later heard Stan Kenton perform at the Balboa Ballroom in Newport Beach, CA. And I agree that Kenton and Christy are inextricably linked. I "surfed" into to your site from one devoted to the Four Freshmen. They too were given a big boost by Stan Kenton. Nice work!

  • "Loved Her-Met Her-Lucky Me!" - TRUDI MANN

    My Trio - TRUDI MANN & MEN were working in Atlanta at the time June was booked into a club there. Luckily for us she was performing on our night off. We sat at a front table and when she sang SOMETHING COOL I got tears of joy in my eyes because it was such a thrill. She noticed me...and I truly think she was touched and even inspired. She was absolutely wonderful. We met her after the show, walked her back to her hotel room and she stayed in touch with me for awhile when I was on the 'road'. One of the great ladies of songdom and 'humandom', as well. What a joy it was. my website: http://www.TrudiMann.com also my new cd mmmmm.....TRUDI MANN! is reviewed in the July/Aug issue of IN TUNE INTERNATIONAL a Brit magazine. If you are interested please e-mail Gerry@Stonestreet13.freeserve.co.uk for info. It is also reviewed on the web @ http://www.jazzusa.com click on short takes and then on Trudi Mann.

  • "A blessing" - Roger Adams

    Your June Christy website is a blessing for her fans. I would be interested in finding performance videos and photographs. Can you help?

  • "music major at SUNY-Potsdam" - Bob Kurosaka

    In 1953, when I was a music major at SUNY-Potsdam, all the 'hep' guys were grooving to Stan Kenton's 'progressive jazz'. On his albums I heard JC's voice and have been in love with her ever since. Since then (nearly a half-century) I've met only three people who had even heard of her. I thought I was the only one who loved songs like 'Lazy Afternoon', 'Interlude', and 'When the World was Young'. How gratifying to find your website and read that I'm not alone anymore. I caught the Kenton/Christy/Freshmen concert in Albany in '59 or '60 and backstage got Kenton's autograph on my album - but Miss Christy had a bad cold (performed anyway) and left right after tha concert. I have always regretted not meeting her. Bravo to you and your website!

  • "fantastic opportunity" - Chuck Foley

    I couldn't believe my eyes when I came across your June Christy Web site. I had the fantastic opportunity to be at her debut introduction in Evansville, Indiana in the mid 40s', and what a thrill it was. I became her number one fan from the start. Many years later I became a radio announcer and gave Christy and Stan repeated playes over the years. The last station for which I worked was also in Evansville (WGBF). I was there for about 12 years and by the time I departed I hope I was able to introduce many people to this wonderful, talented singer. I have many of her recordings and hope to find more. I loved her choice of material and Rugolos' ability to frame her husky voice to advantage. She is much missed and I am saddened by her departure.

  • "wonderful website" - Ian Bradley

    This is a wonderful website. I am a great fan of June Christy and wish Capitol would release on CD "The Cool School."

  • "Magic Window" - Joseph Castro

    I am the one that brought Magic Window to June...I had been saving it for years. I was in a barber shop years ago, and reading a movie magazine and read that the movie with Bing Crosby, "Little Boy Lost" was filmed in a town outside of Paris called Monfort- l' Amaury . That's the town that Maurice Ravel, the Great French Composer lived in his house called Le Belvedere. I have always been a huge fan of Ravel. SO...I went to see the movie. I fell in love with the song. I tried to make something of it on the Piano..but it didn't make it without the lyric...so I left it alone.......Much later when June told me about the Cool School Album coming about....asked me if I had anything to suggest...and I said...DO I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU!!!!!! She fell in love with the song..and would do it in person with a boy on a stool, if there was one in the audience.

    She even wanted to change the title of the album to "The Magic Window", but the art work was too far along for Capitol to change it. It became one of her favorite songs. Also We did "Remind Me" which we did alot...I wish I would have recorded that with her instead of Stan. Years later I went and visited that house in France.....It is a Historical Site.and kept the same way as the day he died. It was magic to see and be in. So that's the story of how June got Magic Window. There is no celeste in Magic Window. Only on "When You Wish Upon a Star" It is one Of June's favorite albums, along with "Something Cool" which I made with her when She did the re-make of it in Stereo. Very proud of that album.

  • "in depth web site" - Fred Valentine

    I came upon your wonderfully in depth web site to a fantastic lady. At 64 years old, I have been a longtime fan of hers, remembering the many times I listened to "Midnight Sun". I never had the opportunity to see her in person, but have had numerous albums, in 45, LP and CD. She was truly extraordinary. Thanks again!

  • "Australia" - Dr Jules S Black

    Great home page! I have always been a fan, I'm now 60. Now I can afford to buy them. As a student I had to be very circumspect about how many & what I bought. My favourite album was "June's Got Rhythm" and my all time favourite track was "Gypsy in my Soul" and it is on this album. I finally got this album on CD after years of looking on a Japanese Capitol Pressing this year.

  • "musical heroes" - Gloria Melancon

    I gather from your June Christy site that we have some of the same musical heroes. June was one of mine and every so often, someone will say they can tell by my singing style that I used to listen to June Christy. Let me know what you think by checking out my site and listening to my CD at www.gloriamelancon.com

  • "nice work" - Stephanie Chavez

    Great website! Very comprehensive...nice work. How/where can I order June Christy's music/CDs? Are there any wav. files to preview?

  • "countless hours" - Cary Fries

    I am weeping as I browse your web site. Why? I'm not quite sure. I've only "known" June for a few hours. I searched a bit on the web and found out she is the singer on the new Lexus commercial with "Shoe Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy" in the background, and found your web site. I've downloaded nearly 30 songs of hers from the WWW in the last hour, and her voice absolutely devastates me! Anyway, it is apparent that she mean quite a lot to you...countless hours must have been devoted to this site. Thanks again for a wonderful time at your web site. I'm sure I'll be back again and again.

  • "wonderful, wonderful singer" - Raymond C. Caballero

    Thanks so much for providing such a great page for June Christy. I’m 58 years old now. Last week in Dublin I ran across a couple of June’s cds and bought them. I began listening to June’s records here in El Paso, Texas in about the mid 1950s. I think I still have "Something Cool" and a couple of other of her albums around, totally tattered, of course. But, thanks again for such a nice memory of a wonderful, wonderful singer.

  • "The gal that took my heart away" - Mike Cover

    I never knew there was a website for the gal that took my heart away. When I was in the army in Germany, 1957/58 I saw her concert with Bob in Stuttgart. I was playing my electric guitar (just jazzin' around) with a quartet I had at a small base in Ansbach. She was SO easy to love...and listen to. Your right...you just sorta "melted" with admiration when she was in your presence. If this gets to you, I'll send you a photo or two I took at that concert with Bob and Bud Shank lovingly surrounding her.

  • "Since I was 14 years" - laroach

    I am so happy that I found your website. I have been a fan of June Christy since I was 14 years old, as a matter of fact, I just treated my self to several hours of her songs. I have several of her vinyl albums and several with Stan Kenton.

  • "College Concerts" - Tom Purser

    Just a note to say thanks for your June Christy pages, which I came across tonight. I'm just beginning to explore them. My high school band director, God bless him, introduced me to June Christy (and Kenton and the Four Freshmen and too many more to name) in 1953/54, and during the rest of the 50s I collected all the Christy, Kenton, and Freshman albums I could afford. Was fortunate enough to see June and Stan and the Freshmen at college concerts in the late 50s. Ah, such great memories... Unfortunately I lost all of my 33s in a flood in the 1970s, but I've replaced some of them with CDs. Thanks so much for your pages.

  • "The Awesome Misty Miss Christy" - Skip West

    What a superb site you have created. Thanks for all the workd and info about June Christy. Do you know of any sites, pages etc. dedicated to Chris Conner? I also find her story and music fascinating.

  • "My compliments " - Dick Couzy

    My compliments for information on June Christy By visiting your page I have been able to collect CD's I have never heard of. It is very difficult to buy some of the CD's Thank you very much

  • "What a wonderful web page" - Joan A. Wood

    What a wonderful web page you have. I am new at having a computer, and just stumbled upon June Christy. Oh how I loved her voice. But what does Christmas Heart sound like? And where could I get the album or single recording of it? Would love to hear from you

  • "Grateful" - Jim Dempsey

    What a nice Christmas gift from a stranger in GB. Thankyou ! This site enables me to revisit my youth, and hear sounds that I have longed to hear again. You have promted me to go and find and purchase "Something Cool" immediately! I have been a jazz buff since the late forties, cutting my teeth on New Orleans, Kansas City and Chicago styles. Then began trips to NYC, from 52nd St. to the Village. As a result of these trips, I actually had breakfast with Satch himself (thanks to a friend). Finally , I saw Miss Christy, five evenings in succession at a club in Honolulu. That trip was at the US Navys' expense. Thankyou Again

  • "Absolutely incredible" - David Mitchell

    Your website is absolutely incredible.There are plenty of June's Cds available,but are there any videos of her performing in the 1950s.I believe there are some out there,but here in the USA it is very difficult to find them.Any ideas or suggestions?

  • "Fantastic" - John Derek Mills

    I just found your site on the net and think it is fantastic. Are there any videos of June with Stan Kenton.

  • "My June Christy Anecdote" - JCarocci

    Sadly, I can't claim to have met June or heard her sing personally, but I do have an amusing story about how I became a fan. My father had a copy of The Cool School in his record collection, and all the years I was growing up I used to laugh at the "corny" cover. Well, one day when I was about 15 I decided to actually play the record just to see how "corny" it would sound. The first song I played was Aren't You Glad You're You. That was 20 years ago and I can still remember how I was touched by that song. June is still one of my favorites, and while I'm at it I'd like to chime in with my vote for best album, Big Band Specials.

  • The keeper of the flame - Doug Stewart

    Came across your wonderful website by chance. I was looking for the lyrics of Spring can really hang you up the most. And there suddenly was June and Something Cool. I could go on - but it is a search through my albums for Midnight Sun, How High the Moon etc Now a bottle of the finest malt and an hour long session of Christy and Kenton Thank you Jim Smith - The keeper of the flame for great music

  • A cute little blonde - John G. Keidel

    While growing up in my late teens and early 20's, I really enjoyed the big band sound of stan kenton. at that time, he featured a drummer named shelly manne, a sax man named vito musso, and of course - a cute little blonde with a loveable raspy voice named june christy. I had the pleasure of seeing them in person at the academy of music and a nightclub called the click in philadelphia. She was a delight. When she sang "soothe me, baby sooth me", I almost leaped off of the fifth balcony of the academy of music. That (the family circle, 5th balcony, put on your oxygen mask) was all that I could afford at the time. Worth every penny! Shortly after that, I left town to serve in the USAF during the korean war. By the time that I got home, stan kenton was falling out of the limelight and dave bruback, maynard ferguson,and dizzy gillespie were moving up on the charts. There is nothing certain in this world but change. I accept that fact but I will never forget my big crush on june christy and her great singing style. I was crushed to hear of her demise through your website - but, life goes on. keep up the good work.

  • Hermosa Beach - Norma Embree

    I have been a fan of June Christy since the 40's. At one time I heard her sing and the Lighthouse, in Hermosa Beach, Ca. I am looking for a recording that includes "Across the Alley from the Alamo." It has sentimental ties for me and I don't want it by the Mills Bros or the Lennon Bros. I have a Cd called "Road Show" with Stan and the 4 Freshman. Also one called "Duet" with Stan on the piano. Do you know where I can find the one I'm looking for? Thanks

  • the "Misty" reference mislead audiences - Dick Cassin

    While browsing the Four Freshmen page I came across your June Christy link. I regret to say I did not know she had passed away. I have fond recollections of a meeting June in the early-60s and the sight of your page brought back many memories. All I have left of that meeting is a tape of questionable quality. I've transferred it to cassette and still I enjoy listening to it on occasion. I was with the American military in Japan, stationed with the Armed Forces Radio-TV Service. I did the M-C work at the clubs where I was stationed, and in 1963 (approx.) that meant introducing June at the three shows she did at the Air Force Base. Like the "Misty June Christy" heading on your page, I likewise introduced her by that title (Misty, etc). She told me later in a radio interview, the "Misty" reference mislead audiences, since she never recorded the Errol Gardner song by that name. It is apparently the way Stan Kenton introduced her and it stuck. Years later, people would shout from the audience for her to sing the song, and she would explain it was not one of her concert numbers. Anyway, great to share the memories with you.

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