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A Fleeting Focus on Beryl Davis   


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  3rd Jan 2024, 10:27 AM#1  REPORT  
Mike Wilson1

Musicologist
Member since Dec 2019
26 Points
Beryl Davis was born in Plymouth on the 16th March 1924… She was a gifted vocalist who sang with British & American Big Bands, as well as being an occasional featured vocalist at a very young age with the Quintette Du Hot Club De France between 1936 and 1939. She was still performing in her 80s, into the 2000s, possibly the last surviving & performing singer of the generation of popular entertainers from the 1930s & wartime years
Aged eight, Davis began to sing for the Oscar Rabin Band eventually turning professional & singing with other bands including Geraldo’s Orchestra & The Skyrockets Dance Orchestra… From the age of 12, accompanied by a chaperone, she also performed & recorded with Django Reinhardt in Paris & on several European tours., She was the featured singer with the Quintette Du Hot Club De France during their tour of the UK in July 1939, including a performance for BBC Television of which, unfortunately, no copy appears to survive… She became popular singing for British & Allied troops during World War II, during which time Glenn Miller discovered her in London & she sang for The Army/Air Force Orchestra. After the war, she moved to Los Angeles with her father's big band & appeared on Your Hit Parade with Frank Sinatra for a year.
She was part of the Four Girls singing group with Jane Russell, Rhonda Fleming & Connie Haines. They recorded sixteen singles & many fine Gospel albums which became best sellers. She also appeared in variety shows & films.
She was married to Peter Potter, DJ & host of the 1950’s Emmy Winning television show, Jukebox Jury. They had three children William, Merry & Melinda but unfortunately the marriage ended in divorce.
In 1996, a Golden Palm Star on The Palm Springs Walk Of Stars was dedicated to her. Still performing into her 80s, she was featured at several concerts/festivals in the mid-2000s with the backing of the guitarist John Jorgenson & His Band
On 28 October 2011 Beryl died in Los Angeles from complications of Alzheimer's disease, at age 87. Her discs are known for her quality of voice & for the clarity of her presentation….In 1940 she released on Decca (F7472) the song “Dreaming” which is the one popular disc of hers that I do not have, if anyone could help me with that or even confirm that it was released under her own name….Beryl Davis is not a singer that will be known to everybody but she certainly deserves to be well remembered if only for the longevity of her career & her association with other artists who have recorded across a broad spectrum from Django Reinhart to Pink Floyd......This is Number 3 of my Fleeting Focus Features, if you like them please let me know (I guess if you don't like them, you'd better let me know as well !!)


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