KWXY Presents ● The Music of Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney / Publicity Photo - Concord Jazz / Photo by Deborah Feingold Jewelry by Harry Winston / IVOX MUSIC collection

Rosemary Clooney was a singer and actress largely popular in the 1950s.  Although she was a jazz vocalist, she was best known for her early pop hits on Columbia Records and as a costar of the 1954 Paramount motion picture, White Christmas alongside Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen.

She was born in Maysville, Kentucky on May 23, 1928 to parents Andrew Joseph and Marie Frances Clooney.  One of five children, her famous siblings include singer Betty Clooney and journalist Nick Clooney.  Her nephew is actor George Clooney. 

Her singing career began in 1946 as a backing singer for the Tony Pastor Big Band.  She broke off as a solo artist in 1949.  Her first big hit came in 1951 with her recording of “Come On-a My House,” written by Ross Bagdasarian (later of “Alvin and The Chipmunks” fame) and his cousin, novelist William Saroyan.  The melody and lyrics, despite their suggestive nature, were actually based on an Armenian folk song. 

Clooney detested the song and recorded it under duress to avoid a violation of her contract with Columbia, although she continued to perform it throughout the rest of her career.  It was the first hit of hers backed by harpsichordist Stan Freeman; the others were “Botch-a-Me” in 1952 which later peaked at number two and “Mambo Italiano” in 1954 which went to number one in the UK. 

Throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s, Clooney remained active as a television star and recording artist, leaving Columbia in 1958 and signing with several other labels between 1958 and 1965.  She was twice married to actor Jose Ferrer, divorcing in 1961 and again in 1967.  On June 5, 1968, she was in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles and heard the gunshots which killed Robert F. Kennedy.  An onstage nervous breakdown soon followed as did several years of therapy. 

Rosemary Clooney / Publicity Photo - Bud Fraker, for Paramount Pictures - 1954

She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001 yet remained active as a performer until her death in Beverly Hills, California on June 29, 2002 at age 74.  Her legacy continues with a display of memorabilia in her Augusta, Kentucky home, recordings of her music by Bette Midler and Barry Manilow in 2003 and an album by daughter-in-law Debby Boone in 2005.  White Christmas continues to be a perennial holiday favorite as well.

KWXY Presents ● “The Music of Rosemary Clooney” today at 5pm hosted by Louie Comella, on KWXY Music Radio 92.3FM ● 1340AM ● streaming at kwxy.com and ivoxradio.com