Andy Russell (singer)
Encyclopedia
Andy Russell was an American
popular
vocalist, specializing in traditional pop
and Latin music.
He was born Andrés Rabago Pérez in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles
. He was one of ten children (eight boys, two girls) born to parents who were Mexican
immigrants of Spanish descent. Already as a teenager he had begun to perform as a vocalist and drum
mer with a local band headed by Don Ramon Cruz. In the early forties he Anglicized his name (Andy was obvious, but "Russell" was after the singer Russ Columbo
). He became vocalist and drummer with the bands of Johnny Richards, Gus Arnheim
, Sonny Dunham
, and Alvino Rey
. By 1944, he had become well enough regarded a pop vocalist to be featured on radio
, and in the next year had his Old Gold Show. He also signed on with Capitol Records
.
His first charted hit was "Bésame Mucho
" (Capitol #149, 1944). The same year he had his biggest hit, which became his signature tune, "Amor
" (Capitol #156, with the flip side "The Day After Forever") from the film "Broadway Rhythm". He had two more hits that year: "What a Difference a Day Made" (Capitol #167, paired with "Don't You Notice Anything New?") and "I Dream of You
"/"Magic Is Moonlight" (Capitol #175). He had another big hit in 1946 with "I Can't Begin to Tell You
" (Capitol #221) from the film "The Dolly Sisters." This became the fourth top ten seller in the country for Russell in less than two years and the big time was calling. The next big hit came later in 1946: a two-sided hit with "Laughing on the Outside
" and "They Say It's Wonderful
" (from the Broadway show Annie Get Your Gun
) (Capitol #252). His next hit was "Pretending" (Capitol #271, backed with "Who Do You Love") was another top-ten seller. He was also invited to Hollywood and screen tested for motion pictures. In 1946
he appeared in The Stork Club and Breakfast In Hollywood. He was on the soundtrack of Walt Disney
's Make Mine Music, and appeared in the picture Copacabana the next year
.
In 1946, the people running the pop music
radio
program Your Hit Parade
asked him to take the place of Frank Sinatra
(Sinatra returned in 1947). This led to increased popularity for the singer.
Russell appeared in the new medium, television
, in the early 1950s on Your Show of Shows
with Sid Caesar
on NBC
, but continued to record, though less frequently. By 1952, Russell's hits had stopped coming, so Capitol Records lost interest in him as a hit making pop star. Especially, as the rock 'n roll age was beginning to dawn, Capitol (like the other major labels) began to look on with negative feeling. Russell realized at this point in time that was still quite popular in Mexico, so he began to spend time there performing for his fans. He occasionally recorded for RCA Victor Records in the mid-1950s.
In the late-1950s Russell moved to Mexico City
, and later to Argentina
. In the latter country, he had a successful television variety show
that ran for seven years. El Show de IKA was sponsored by the nation's largest automaker, Industrias Kaiser Argentina
(IKA). A Jeep
was driven on the stage during every performance with dancers as well as a 50-piece orchestra and choir accompaning Russell. It was the most expensive TV show produced in that country and the first to use cameras mounted high above the stage.
In the mid-1960s, he moved back to the United States for a time and went back to Capitol, making a few LP albums. He also made some LPs for the Argentine market that were well received. Though he continued to appear and perform, by the mid-eighties he was generally forgotten. Exceptions to this rule were his 1967 Capitol singles "It's Such a Pretty World Today
" and "I'm Still Not Through Missing You", which achieved top ten status on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.
He died in Sun City, Arizona
. He was buried in the Loma Vista Memorial Park in Fullerton, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
popular
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
vocalist, specializing in traditional pop
Traditional pop music
Traditional pop or classic pop or standards music denotes, in general, Western popular music that either wholly predates the advent of rock and roll in the mid-1950s, or to any popular music which exists concurrently to rock and roll but originated in a time before the appearance of rock and roll,...
and Latin music.
He was born Andrés Rabago Pérez in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He was one of ten children (eight boys, two girls) born to parents who were Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
immigrants of Spanish descent. Already as a teenager he had begun to perform as a vocalist and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
mer with a local band headed by Don Ramon Cruz. In the early forties he Anglicized his name (Andy was obvious, but "Russell" was after the singer Russ Columbo
Russ Columbo
Ruggiero Eugenio di Rodolpho Colombo , known as Russ Columbo, was an American singer, violinist and actor, most famous for his signature tune, "You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love", his compositions "Prisoner of Love" and "Too Beautiful For Words", and the legend surrounding his early...
). He became vocalist and drummer with the bands of Johnny Richards, Gus Arnheim
Gus Arnheim
Gus Arnheim was an early popular band leader. He is noted for writing several songs with his first hit being "I Cried for You" from 1923. He was most popular in the 1920s and 1930s...
, Sonny Dunham
Sonny Dunham
Elmer "Sonny" Dunham was an American trumpet player and bandleader.Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, the son of Elmer and Ethel Dunham, he attended local schools and took lessons on the valve trombone at the age of 7. He changed to the slide trombone at age 11, and was playing in local bands by...
, and Alvino Rey
Alvino Rey
Alvin McBurney , known by his stage name Alvino Rey, was an American swing era musician and pioneer, often credited as the father of the pedal steel guitar...
. By 1944, he had become well enough regarded a pop vocalist to be featured on radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, and in the next year had his Old Gold Show. He also signed on with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
.
His first charted hit was "Bésame Mucho
Bésame Mucho
"Bésame Mucho" is a Spanish language song written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez.-Inspiration:According to Velázquez herself, she wrote this song even though she had never been kissed yet at the time, and kissing as she heard was considered a sin.She was inspired by the piano...
" (Capitol #149, 1944). The same year he had his biggest hit, which became his signature tune, "Amor
Amor (song)
"Amor" is a popular song.The music was written by Gabriel Ruiz, the original Spanish lyrics by Ricardo López Méndez, with English lyrics written by Sunny Skylar. The original title and opening line "Amor, Amor, Amor" became "More and more Amor" in the English version...
" (Capitol #156, with the flip side "The Day After Forever") from the film "Broadway Rhythm". He had two more hits that year: "What a Difference a Day Made" (Capitol #167, paired with "Don't You Notice Anything New?") and "I Dream of You
I Dream of You (More than You Dream I Do)
"I Dream of You " is a popular song.It was written by Marjorie Goetschius and Edna Osser and published in 1944.Charted versions were recorded by Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, by Andy Russell, by Frank Sinatra, and by Perry Como....
"/"Magic Is Moonlight" (Capitol #175). He had another big hit in 1946 with "I Can't Begin to Tell You
I Can't Begin to Tell You
"I Can't Begin to Tell You" is a popular song with music written by James V. Monaco and lyrics by Mack Gordon. The song was published in 1945.The song was introduced by John Payne and reprised by Betty Grable in the film The Dolly Sisters. A version by Bing Crosby was the best-known recording,...
" (Capitol #221) from the film "The Dolly Sisters." This became the fourth top ten seller in the country for Russell in less than two years and the big time was calling. The next big hit came later in 1946: a two-sided hit with "Laughing on the Outside
Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)
"Laughing on the Outside " is a popular song.The music was written by Bernie Wayne, the lyrics by Ben Raleigh. The song was published in 1946....
" and "They Say It's Wonderful
They Say It's Wonderful
"They Say It's Wonderful" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the musical Annie Get Your Gun , where it was introduced by Ethel Merman and Ray Middleton.It was sung by Kirsten Dunst in Spider-Man 3 .-Notable recordings:...
" (from the Broadway show Annie Get Your Gun
Annie Get Your Gun (musical)
Annie Get Your Gun is a musical with lyrics and music written by Irving Berlin and a book by Herbert Fields and his sister Dorothy Fields. The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley , who was a sharpshooter from Ohio, and her husband, Frank Butler.The 1946 Broadway production...
) (Capitol #252). His next hit was "Pretending" (Capitol #271, backed with "Who Do You Love") was another top-ten seller. He was also invited to Hollywood and screen tested for motion pictures. In 1946
1946 in film
The year 1946 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*November 21 - William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives premieres in New York featuring an ensemble cast including Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, and Harold Russell.*December 20 - Frank Capra's It's a...
he appeared in The Stork Club and Breakfast In Hollywood. He was on the soundtrack of Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
's Make Mine Music, and appeared in the picture Copacabana the next year
1947 in film
The year 1947 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 22 - Great Expectations is premiered in New York.*November 24 : The United States House of Representatives of the 80th Congress voted 346 to 17 to approve citations for contempt of Congress against the "Hollywood Ten".*November 25...
.
In 1946, the people running the pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
program Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade, is an American radio and television music program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1955 on radio, and seen from 1950 to 1959 on television. It was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. During this 24-year run, the show had 19 orchestra leaders and 52 singers or...
asked him to take the place of Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
(Sinatra returned in 1947). This led to increased popularity for the singer.
Russell appeared in the new medium, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, in the early 1950s on Your Show of Shows
Your Show of Shows
Your Show of Shows is a live 90-minute variety show that appeared weekly in the United States on NBC , from February 25, 1950, until June 5, 1954, featuring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca....
with Sid Caesar
Sid Caesar
Isaac Sidney "Sid" Caesar is an Emmy award winning American comic actor and writer known as the leading man on the 1950s television series Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour, and to younger generations as Coach Calhoun in Grease and Grease 2.- Early life :Caesar was born in Yonkers, New York,...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, but continued to record, though less frequently. By 1952, Russell's hits had stopped coming, so Capitol Records lost interest in him as a hit making pop star. Especially, as the rock 'n roll age was beginning to dawn, Capitol (like the other major labels) began to look on with negative feeling. Russell realized at this point in time that was still quite popular in Mexico, so he began to spend time there performing for his fans. He occasionally recorded for RCA Victor Records in the mid-1950s.
In the late-1950s Russell moved to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, and later to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. In the latter country, he had a successful television variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
that ran for seven years. El Show de IKA was sponsored by the nation's largest automaker, Industrias Kaiser Argentina
Industrias Kaiser Argentina
Industrias Kaiser Argentina S.A. or IKA was an Argentine motor company established in 1956 in Córdoba Province as a joint venture with Kaiser Motors of the United States....
(IKA). A Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
was driven on the stage during every performance with dancers as well as a 50-piece orchestra and choir accompaning Russell. It was the most expensive TV show produced in that country and the first to use cameras mounted high above the stage.
In the mid-1960s, he moved back to the United States for a time and went back to Capitol, making a few LP albums. He also made some LPs for the Argentine market that were well received. Though he continued to appear and perform, by the mid-eighties he was generally forgotten. Exceptions to this rule were his 1967 Capitol singles "It's Such a Pretty World Today
It's Such a Pretty World Today
"It's Such a Pretty World Today" is the title of a popular song released in 1967. The song was written by songwriter Dale Noe.The song was originally a country music single by singer Wynn Stewart...
" and "I'm Still Not Through Missing You", which achieved top ten status on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.
He died in Sun City, Arizona
Sun City, Arizona
Sun City is a census-designated place and unincorporated town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 38,309 at the 2000 census...
. He was buried in the Loma Vista Memorial Park in Fullerton, California
Fullerton, California
Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
.
Charted hits
| Song | Date recorded | Date entered Billboard magazine best-selling record chart | Highest position | Weeks on chart | Catalog number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Bésame Mucho Bésame Mucho "Bésame Mucho" is a Spanish language song written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez.-Inspiration:According to Velázquez herself, she wrote this song even though she had never been kissed yet at the time, and kissing as she heard was considered a sin.She was inspired by the piano... " |
December 17, 1943 | April 13, 1944 | 10 | 2 | Capitol Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... 149 |
with Al Sack orchestra |
| "Amor Amor (song) "Amor" is a popular song.The music was written by Gabriel Ruiz, the original Spanish lyrics by Ricardo López Méndez, with English lyrics written by Sunny Skylar. The original title and opening line "Amor, Amor, Amor" became "More and more Amor" in the English version... " |
March 10, 1944 | May 15, 1944 | 5 | 8 | Capitol 156 | with Al Sack orchestra |
| "I Dream of You I Dream of You (More than You Dream I Do) "I Dream of You " is a popular song.It was written by Marjorie Goetschius and Edna Osser and published in 1944.Charted versions were recorded by Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, by Andy Russell, by Frank Sinatra, and by Perry Como.... " |
December 21, 1944 | 5 | 3 | Capitol 175 | ||
| "I Can't Begin to Tell You I Can't Begin to Tell You "I Can't Begin to Tell You" is a popular song with music written by James V. Monaco and lyrics by Mack Gordon. The song was published in 1945.The song was introduced by John Payne and reprised by Betty Grable in the film The Dolly Sisters. A version by Bing Crosby was the best-known recording,... " |
December 27, 1945 | 8 | 2 | Capitol 221 | ||
| "Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside) Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside) "Laughing on the Outside " is a popular song.The music was written by Bernie Wayne, the lyrics by Ben Raleigh. The song was published in 1946.... " |
February 28, 1946 | May 2, 1946 | 4 | 7 | Capitol 252 | with Paul Weston Paul Weston Paul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. Weston was born Paul Wetstein in Springfield, Massachusetts... orchestra |
| "Pretending Pretending (Al Sherman song) "Pretending" is a song with music and lyrics by Al Sherman and Marty Symes. It was recorded by Andy Russell with the Paul Weston Orchestra , Bing Crosby and Les Paul playing lead guitar and Kate Smith among others... " |
May 17, 1946 | October 4, 1946 | 10 | 1 | Capitol 271 | with Paul Weston orchestra |
| "Anniversary Song" | November 15, 1946 | March 14, 1947 | 5 | 2 | Capitol 368 | with Paul Weston orchestra |
| "Underneath the Arches Underneath the Arches (song) "Underneath the Arches" is a 1931 popular song with words and music by Bud Flanagan, and additional lyrics by Reg Connelly. It was one of the most famous songs of the duo Flanagan and Allen.... " |
October 1, 1948 | 21 | 5 | Capitol 15183 |