Marlene VerPlanck

Marlene Paula VerPlanck (née Pampinella; born November 11, 1933)[1] is an American jazz and pop vocalist whose body of work centers on big band jazz, the American songbook, and cabaret.

Life and career

VerPlanck was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey.[1] She was married to trombonist and arranger J. William (Billy) VerPlanck (1930–2009) for 52 years — from 1955 until 2009, when he died.[1][2]

Her debut album, I Think of You with Every Breath I Take, was released in 1955 when she was 21, and featured Hank Jones, Joe Wilder, Wendell Marshall, Kenny Clarke, and Herbie Mann (uncredited).[3][4] VerPlanck then went to work as a vocalist for Charlie Spivak's band, and later sang with the Tommy Dorsey band.[5][6]

Despite a long and successful career, often as a studio backing vocalist, she did not release another solo album until Marlene VerPlanck Loves Johnny Mercer in 1979. Since then she has released many, mostly on the Audiophile label, and has toured extensively as a soloist.

VerPlanck was a prolific studio vocalist for jingles, which included singing an arrangement of the 1930s Campbell's Soup "M'm M'm Good" song.[1][7]

Discography

Solo

As guest vocalist

With J. J. Johnson

With the John LaSalle Quartet

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Marc Myers (January 10, 2013). "Interview: Marlene VerPlanck". JazzWax. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  2. Gayle (November 29, 2012). "Marlene VerPlanck". WUSF (University of South Florida). Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  3. Scott Yanow. "I Think of You with Every Breath I Take". Allmusic. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  4. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Third edition, eight volumes, edited by Colin Larkin, Muze, London (1998) OCLC 39837948
  5. Singing Jazz: The Singers and Their Styles, by Bruce Crowther (born 1933), Mike Pinfold, Miller Freeman, Inc., San Francisco, p. 240 (1997) OCLC 38562293, LCCN 98193811.
  6. John S. Wilson, Familiar TV Voice Sings on 8th Street, New York Times, May 30, 1918.

External links

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