One-Album Female Vocalists

In the mid-1950s and early 1960s, female vocalists were in high demand at America's record labels. Never before had so many new pop and jazz singers found their way into recording studios. The reason was the arrival of the 12-inch album. Sales of new phonograph consoles that could handle the 331/3 speed were surging as the suburbs and home ownership expanded throughout the country. Larger living rooms meant record buyers wanted the larger format so they didn't have to get up from sofas so often to turn records over. In addition, female singers on the covers of 12-inch albums were ideal visual catnip for male buyers browsing for LPs in local record shops.

What's especially fascinating about the female vocal category during this period is how many women recorded just one album and then disappeared. Either they left the business to raise a family, decided that performing was more their speed or just pursued other career options. 

Here are eight tracks from the one album these singers recorded:

Here's Paula Castle in 1955 singing Why Can't I, backed by Sam Most (fl), Ronnie Selbey (p), Chet Amsterdam (b) and Herbie Wasserman (d)...



Here's Janet Brace in 1956 singing Time Was, backed by Don Elliott (tp,mellophone,vib), Bob Corwin (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Vinnie Burke (b) and Don MacLean (d)...



Here's Laurie Allyn in 1957 singing I'll Never Smile Again, with a terrific brief solo by trumpeter Don Fagerquist, who pops the mute in at the end. The band was Fagerquist (tp), Vince DeRosa (fhr), Marty Paich (cel,ldr), Al Viola (g), Red Mitchell (b),, Mel Lewis (d,perc), George Barres, Joe Chassman, Paul Shure, Irma Neumann, Marvin Limonick (vln) Alex Neiman, Alvin Dunkin (viola) Eleanor Slatkin (cello) Stella Castellucci (harp)...



Here's Marlene Cord in 1957 singing Detour Ahead, backed by Mike Simpson (ts), Dick Marx (p), Johnny Frigo (b) and Jerry Slosberg (d)...



Here's Carol Stevens in 1957 singing In a Mellotone. She was backed by a drop-dead New York studio band: Nick Travis (tp), Don Elliott (tp,mellophone), Warren Covington or Eddie Bert (tb), Phil Bodner (eng-hrn,cl), Sol Schlinger (b-cl), Bernie Kaufman (b-cl,fl), Herbie Mann (alto-fl), Romeo Penque (woodwinds), Bobby Rosengarden (vib), Phil Moore (p) or Frank Berry (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Milt Hinton (b,) Osie Johnson (d) and Phil Kraus (perc)...



Here's Betty Blake in 1960 singing Blue Fool, backed by Marcus Belgrave (tp), Zoot Sims (ts), Roland Alexander (ts,arr), Teddy Charles (vib,arr), Mal Waldron (p,arr), Kenny Burrell (g), Addison Farmer and Eustis Guillemet, Jr. (b), Ed Shaughnessy and Charlie Persip (d) and Bob Dorough. This arrangement sounds like it belongs to Teddy Charles...



Here's Frances Bergen in 1960 singing All I Need Is You. Bergen was ventriloquist Edgar Bergen's wife and actres Candice Bergen's mother. She was accompanied here by the the Art Van Damme Quinete...



Here's Sue Childs in 1964 singing Lollipops and Roses, backed by Bill Pasquale (g)...