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Jill Corey Collection (Jill Corey Sings)

The youngest singer to appear at the Copa Cabana nightclub and worked with Garroway on TV, Jill Corey became a regular on Johhny Carson's CBS comedy/variety show from California in 1956. She had a number of hit recordings as well as a starring in a few syndicated radio programs.

Jill Corey Sings

21 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 5 hours, 40 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
7 Audio CDs


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"Oh My Do I"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Jill Corey on Time Magazine Cover

Not every show business success story is a splashy one. It has a lot to do with how you define success. For some, success is defined by a string of blockbuster hits and all the trappings of wealth. For others, success means having a shelf full of awards reflecting the admiration of their peers. Perhaps the happiest are those who can define success as being a small-town girl who had a brush with the bright lights of Hollywood and Broadway, the chance to raise a happy family, and the opportunity to step back into the limelight later in life. For your consideration, we present the story of Jill Corey.

The youngest of five children born in the tiny coal mining town of Avonmore, Pennsylvania, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh, Norma Jean Speranza came into the world on September 30, 1935. Unlike girls today who have dozens if not hundreds of showbiz idols to imitate, about the only singer Norma Jean knew was Carmen Miranda which she did imitations at family gatherings and grade-school talent shows. Perhaps not that good, of all the contests and talent shows little Norma entered, she never one.If she never won the prize, she had a lot of fun. By the age of 13 she began to discover her own style. First prize in the Lion's Club talent show was a chance to perform on the local radio station. The station manager must have been impressed, because Norma Jean was invited to sing on her own program- she began earning $5 a night singing with the local orchestra led by Johnny Murphy. One of her admirers encouraged her to make a tape recording that could be sent to the "Show Biz Big Shots". She went to the home of the man who owned the only tape recorder in town, and with trains passing in the background and no other accompaniment, made her tape.

Jill Corey

One of her radio admirers convinced Norma that she should make a tape recording of herself singing and send it to… someone! One problem with the plan was that there was only one person in town who owned a tape recording. Norma went to his house by the tracks and sang a Tony Bennett number into the machine, with no accompaniment and with train whistles in the background. The obvious person to send the recording to was Mitch Miller, the A&R man at Columbia Records.

Somehow Mitch Miller, head of Artist's and Repertory at Columbia Records, heard the tape. At this time Miller must have been receiving more demo-tapes each week than he could possibly listen to, but some how he found time to listen to a 17 year old girl with trains passing in the background. What is no surprise to her later fans, Miller liked what he heard.  Miller was one of the leading star-makers in the recording industry and heard from hundreds of hopeful singers every week. There was no way that he should have been impressed with an amateur recording from a girl in the middle of nowhere with train whistles in the background, except that he was impressed. Enough so that he called Norma in Avonmore and made arrangements for her to come to New York and sing for him in better conditions.

The phone in little Avondale rang from New York, and the next morning Norma Jean was on the 8:00am plane from Pittsburgh to New York. After hearing her in a studio setting, Miller set up auditions with Arthur Godfrey and Dave Garroway, then called the Life Magazine photographers. The Life Photographers had her reenact signing her Contract with Columbia, and that evening she was back in her bed in Avondale, probably wondering if the whole thing had been a dream.

After hearing her sing in the studio (without trains), Miller signed Norma on the spot. Then he called LIFE magazine who made her reenact signing the contract so they could get the event on film. After this busy day, she flew back home. Dave Soon after she got there she received phone calls from Arthur Godfrey and Jack Garroway, hosts of two of the biggest talk-show/variety programs on TV. It was Garroway who chose the name Jill Corey out of the phone-book for the new young star. Within six weeks, the November 9, 1953, edition of LIFE came out with Jill on the cover and suddenly she was everywhere.  She became the youngest singer to appear at the Copa Cabana nightclub and worked with Garroway on TV. She became a regular on Johhny Carson's CBS comedy/variety show from California in 1956. She had a number of hit recordings as well as a starring in a few syndicated radio programs. 

In addition to Garroway's show, she was Ed Sullivan's program and appearing as a regular on Johnny Carson's first prime-time show. She became one of the youngest ever to headline at the Copacabana and was a featured singer on TV's Your Hit Parade. In 1958, she appeared in Columbia Pictures' Senior Prom. The tabloids connected her with everyone they could think of, from Frank Sinatra to Brazilian diplomats, and then she fell in love with a ball player.

Don Hoak grew up in Northern Pennsylvania and got into the big leagues after a hitch in the Marine Corps, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was in Jackie Robinson's spot on third during the deciding game when the Dodgers won their only World Series in Brooklyn. He spent time with the Cubs and the Cincinnati Redlegs before joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959. He gave Jill Corey a wedding ring in 1961 the year after the Pirates won the World Series, and she largely gave up show business to raise a family.

Jill and Don had a daughter, Clare, and Don hung up his spikes after the 1964 season. From 1965 to 1967 he was in the broadcast booth for the Pirates and worked as a manager in their farm system during '68-'69. He was hoping to be tapped for the Pirate's manager spot, but on the day it was announced that Danny Murtaugh was going to be rehired, Don suffered a heart attack while chasing a car that was stolen from Jill's brother. Jill claimed for four decades that Hoak died of a broken heart after being passed over for the Pirates manager job.

Suddenly on her own with a young girl to raise, Jill moved back to New York and worked on and off Broadway and on the nightclub circuit. This small collection of shows, Jill Corey Sings, was a syndicated plug for the National Guard.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    21 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 5 hours, 40 min
    21 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 5 hours, 40 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 21 shows - total playtime 5 hours 40 minutes
    2. Guest Star 640719 0904 Put On Happy Face.mp3
    3. Jill Corey Sings 570000 01 Oh My Do I.mp3
    4. Jill Corey Sings 570000 02 I Love My Baby.mp3
    5. Jill Corey Sings 570000 03 Just One Of Those Things.mp3
    6. Jill Corey Sings 570000 04 Come On And Get Happy.mp3
    7. Jill Corey Sings 570000 05 Who Cares.mp3
    8. Jill Corey Sings 570000 06 All Of Me.mp3
    9. Jill Corey Sings 570000 07 In Mountian Greenery.mp3
    10. Jill Corey Sings 570000 08 Sometimes Im Happy.mp3
    11. Jill Corey Sings 570000 09 Sleepless Nights.mp3
    12. Jill Corey Sings 570000 10 You Make Me Feel So Young.mp3
    13. Jill Corey Sings 570000 11 Lover.mp3
    14. Jill Corey Sings 570000 12 Lets Fall In Love.mp3
    15. Jill Corey Sings 570000 13 What Day.mp3
    16. Lets Go To Town 157 Love Me To Pieces.mp3
    17. Lets Go To Town 158 I Love My Baby.mp3
    18. Lets Go To Town 159 Dont Talk Abt Me Im Gone.mp3
    19. Lets Go To Town 160 Trolley Song.mp3
    20. New National Guard Show 03 Turnabout.mp3
    21. Person to Person with Ed Murrow Jill Corey.mp3
    22. Stop Music 540817 Broadcast Of August 17 1954.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    21 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 5 hours, 40 min
    21 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 5 hours, 40 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 21 shows - total playtime 5 hours 40 minutes
    2. Guest Star 640719 0904 Put On Happy Face.mp3
    3. Jill Corey Sings 570000 01 Oh My Do I.mp3
    4. Jill Corey Sings 570000 02 I Love My Baby.mp3
    5. Jill Corey Sings 570000 03 Just One Of Those Things.mp3
    6. Jill Corey Sings 570000 04 Come On And Get Happy.mp3
    7. Jill Corey Sings 570000 05 Who Cares.mp3
    8. Jill Corey Sings 570000 06 All Of Me.mp3
    9. Jill Corey Sings 570000 07 In Mountian Greenery.mp3
    10. Jill Corey Sings 570000 08 Sometimes Im Happy.mp3
    11. Jill Corey Sings 570000 09 Sleepless Nights.mp3
    12. Jill Corey Sings 570000 10 You Make Me Feel So Young.mp3
    13. Jill Corey Sings 570000 11 Lover.mp3
    14. Jill Corey Sings 570000 12 Lets Fall In Love.mp3
    15. Jill Corey Sings 570000 13 What Day.mp3
    16. Lets Go To Town 157 Love Me To Pieces.mp3
    17. Lets Go To Town 158 I Love My Baby.mp3
    18. Lets Go To Town 159 Dont Talk Abt Me Im Gone.mp3
    19. Lets Go To Town 160 Trolley Song.mp3
    20. New National Guard Show 03 Turnabout.mp3
    21. Person to Person with Ed Murrow Jill Corey.mp3
    22. Stop Music 540817 Broadcast Of August 17 1954.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    21 recordings on 7 Audio CDs. Total playtime 5 hours, 40 min
    21 recordings on 7 Audio CDs
    total playtime 5 hours, 40 min

    Jill Corey Sings Disc A001

    1. Lets Go To Town 157 Love Me To Pieces
    2. Lets Go To Town 158 I Love My Baby
    3. Lets Go To Town 159 Dont Talk Abt Me Im Gone
    4. Lets Go To Town 160 Trolley Song

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jill Corey Sings Disc A002

    1. New National Guard Show 03 Turnabout
    2. Person to Person with Ed Murrow Jill Corey

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jill Corey Sings Disc A003

    1. Stop Music 540817 Broadcast Of August 17 1954

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jill Corey Sings Disc A004

    1. Jill Corey Sings 570000 01 Oh My Do I
    2. Jill Corey Sings 570000 02 I Love My Baby
    3. Jill Corey Sings 570000 03 Just One Of Those Things
    4. Jill Corey Sings 570000 04 Come On And Get Happy
    5. Jill Corey Sings 570000 05 Who Cares

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jill Corey Sings Disc A005

    1. Jill Corey Sings 570000 06 All Of Me
    2. Jill Corey Sings 570000 07 In Mountian Greenery
    3. Jill Corey Sings 570000 08 Sometimes Im Happy
    4. Jill Corey Sings 570000 09 Sleepless Nights

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jill Corey Sings Disc A006

    1. Jill Corey Sings 570000 10 You Make Me Feel So Young
    2. Jill Corey Sings 570000 11 Lover
    3. Jill Corey Sings 570000 12 Lets Fall In Love
    4. Jill Corey Sings 570000 13 What Day

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jill Corey Sings Disc A007

    1. Guest Star 640719 0904 Put On Happy Face

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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