ROBERTA SHERWOOD Decca Recordings

Friday, March 6, 2009

This post features 12 original Decca recordings by Roberta Sherwood (1913-1999), the torch singer who in 1956, in her early forties, became a surprise hit on television and recordings. Sherwood had grown up entertaining, but her husband's illness and subsequent death from cancer caused her to pursue a career more aggressively, to great success. She spent the next few decades entertaining at supper clubs around the U.S. and appeared on many television variety programs.
There is precious little discographical information to be found for Ms. Sherwood, but it is known that she began recording for Decca in '56 and kept doing so into the early to mid '60's. These recordings are from this period. The recordings are credited as "Vocal With Chorus And Orchestra Directed by Jack Pleis". They were, therefore, probably recorded in Decca's New York City studios as Mr. Pleis' was the house band there at the time. The "chorus" is clearly Nashville's Anita Kerr Singers, they were travelling to New York for Patsy Cline sessions about this time, perhaps some of these tracks are from the same bout of sessions. Those familiar with Cline's 1950's work will notice a distinct similarity of production on these tracks.

Click here for a biographical obituary of Roberta Sherwood

Tracks:

1. Alabamy Bound
2. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
3. Cold, Cold Heart
4. Hallelujah
5. I Believe
6. I Love You So Much It Hurts
7. Jealous Heart
8. My Song
9. Sing You Sinners
10. Someday, Sweetheart
11. There'll Be Some Changes Made
12. Waiting For The Robert E. Lee

*download here*