Pauline Byrns
Encyclopedia
Pauline Byrns was an American
singer who recorded successfully in the swing era of the late 1930s and 1940s, notably with Artie Shaw
and the vocal groups Three Hits and a Miss and The Starlighters. She was often credited as Pauline Byrne or Pauline Byrnes. Singer Mel Tormé
said of her: "Oh, what a singer.... I admired her so much".
She was born in Missouri
. At the age of 17 she won a talent contest in Washington, and began singing and touring with big bands. In 1937 she moved to California
and joined the singing group Three Hits and a Miss to replace Martha Tilton
. As the group changed personnel, so its name changed, later recording as Six Hits and a Miss; the group's other members included Vince Degen, Howard Hudson - later her husband - and Tony Paris. In 1938, Byrne was described by the magazine Records and Recording as "one of the finest vocalists to grace a bit of waxed jazz in some years. Her voice is a rich contralto, best in the lower register..." The group recorded with Bing Crosby
, appeared in several movies in the early 1940s, including the Marx Brothers
film The Big Store
, and performed regularly on the Bob Hope
Show on radio. The version of Cole Porter
's "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
" by Six Hits and a Miss made no. 11 on the US charts in 1943.
She also recorded "Lullaby of Broadway
" as a featured vocalist with the David Rose
Orchestra, and in 1940 recorded "Gloomy Sunday
" and "Don't Fall Asleep" with the Artie Shaw Orchestra. She formed another vocal group, The Starlighters, with Hudson, Degen and Paris, in 1946; an early member of the group was Andy Williams
. The Starlighters (unconnected to other groups of that name) recorded successfully for several labels in the late 1940s and early 1950s, including some records with Jo Stafford
. However, Byrns left the group in about 1949, after giving birth to her first child.
Thereafter she retired from the music business. In later years she lived in Encino and then Tarzana with her husband, Howard G. Hudson. She died of cancer in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles at the age of 73.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer who recorded successfully in the swing era of the late 1930s and 1940s, notably with Artie Shaw
Artie Shaw
Arthur Jacob Arshawsky , better known as Artie Shaw, was an American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. He was also the author of both fiction and non-fiction writings....
and the vocal groups Three Hits and a Miss and The Starlighters. She was often credited as Pauline Byrne or Pauline Byrnes. Singer Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
said of her: "Oh, what a singer.... I admired her so much".
She was born in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. At the age of 17 she won a talent contest in Washington, and began singing and touring with big bands. In 1937 she moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and joined the singing group Three Hits and a Miss to replace Martha Tilton
Martha Tilton
Martha Tilton was an American popular singer, best-known for her 1939 recording of "And the Angels Sing" with Benny Goodman. She was sometimes introduced as The Liltin' Miss Tilton.Tilton and her family lived in Texas and Kansas, relocating to Los Angeles when she was seven years old...
. As the group changed personnel, so its name changed, later recording as Six Hits and a Miss; the group's other members included Vince Degen, Howard Hudson - later her husband - and Tony Paris. In 1938, Byrne was described by the magazine Records and Recording as "one of the finest vocalists to grace a bit of waxed jazz in some years. Her voice is a rich contralto, best in the lower register..." The group recorded with Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, appeared in several movies in the early 1940s, including the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
film The Big Store
The Big Store
The Big Store is a Marx Brothers comedy film in which Groucho, Chico and Harpo work to save the Phelps Department Store, owned by Martha Phelps . Groucho plays her detective and bodyguard Wolf J...
, and performed regularly on the Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
Show on radio. The version of Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
's "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
"You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" is a popular song written by Cole Porter, for the 1943 film Something to Shout About, where it was introduced by Janet Blair and Don Ameche. Dinah Shore had a major hit with the song at the time of its introduction...
" by Six Hits and a Miss made no. 11 on the US charts in 1943.
She also recorded "Lullaby of Broadway
Lullaby of Broadway (song)
"Lullaby of Broadway" is a popular song with music written by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, published in 1935. The song was introduced by Wini Shaw in the musical film, Gold Diggers of 1935, and, in an unusual move, it was used as background music in a sequence in the Bette Davis film...
" as a featured vocalist with the David Rose
David Rose
David Rose was a British-born American songwriter, composer, arranger, pianist, and orchestra leader. His most famous compositions were "The Stripper", "Holiday for Strings", and "Calypso Melody"...
Orchestra, and in 1940 recorded "Gloomy Sunday
Gloomy Sunday
"Gloomy Sunday" is a song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933, as "Vége a világnak" . Lyrics were written by László Jávor, and in his version the song was retitled "Szomorú vasárnap"...
" and "Don't Fall Asleep" with the Artie Shaw Orchestra. She formed another vocal group, The Starlighters, with Hudson, Degen and Paris, in 1946; an early member of the group was Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
. The Starlighters (unconnected to other groups of that name) recorded successfully for several labels in the late 1940s and early 1950s, including some records with Jo Stafford
Jo Stafford
Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
. However, Byrns left the group in about 1949, after giving birth to her first child.
Thereafter she retired from the music business. In later years she lived in Encino and then Tarzana with her husband, Howard G. Hudson. She died of cancer in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles at the age of 73.