Jane Froman
From her biography:
Jane Froman's three-decade career included radio and television, recordings on major labels, nightclub performances, and appearances in Broadway shows and Hollywood movies. Although she had classical voice training, early in her career she was drawn to the songs of the era's brilliant young songwriters, George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin, who were inspiring a resurgence in popular music. In 1934, at age 27, she became the top-polled "girl singer." The famous composer and producer, Billy Rose, when asked to name the top ten female singers, is reported to have replied, "Jane Froman and nine others."
Jane's unique, dramatic voice seemed to mirror the courage with which she overcame multiple life adversities.One of these was the February, 1943 USO plane crash in which she suffered severe injuries. Her courageous return to Europe on crutches to inspire wounded servicemen was a focus of the 1952 award winning 20th-Century Fox movie, With a Song in My Heart. While Susan Hayward was Oscar-nominated for her portrayal of Jane, Jane's own singing on the soundtrack became a best-selling record album.
The movie caused a career renaissance resulting in many new fans, many more recordings and her own Emmy-nominated CBS television show, USA Canteen (later renamed The Jane Froman Show). I Believe, the very first hit song to be introduced on television, was written for Jane by the show's musicians and earned her a gold record.
Jane retired to her home town of Columbia, Missouri in 1961, but continued the volunteer work for which she was known throughout her career. In the '50s, Jane had helped redirect fan adoration into creative projects and gala benefits for the financial support of the children's program at the Menninger Institute. She was born in 1907 and passed in 1980.
Some of her hits were:
With a Song in My Heart
I'll Walk Alone
I Believe
Blue Moon
Get Happy
You'll Never Walk Alone
Someone To Watch Over Me
It's Magic
Encore Cheri
Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine
Bewitched
A City Called Heaven
May I step on your toes with Main Ballroom #3?
:-)