Rouvaun
Encyclopedia
Rouvaun was born Jim Haun in Bingham, Utah
. A child singer with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
in Salt Lake City, he went on to study voice at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and perform with the Beverly Hills Opera Company. Nonetheless, he remained a struggling woodworker studying voice. Rouvaun was a virtual unknown until February 5, 1967, when he appeared in Las Vegas
as the headline singer leading the 100-person Frederick Apcar French stage review Casino De Paris at the Dunes Hotel
. He billed himself on his debut album cover as "The World's Greatest Singer".
Nicknamed "The Vocal Vesuvius", Rouvaun continued performing on stage to sellout crowds and recorded a number of albums (see below). His career seemed to be blossoming until tragedy struck in 1975, when Rouvaun collapsed and died at age 43 due to massive internal hemorrhaging. Apparently the strain on his vocal cords
had caused his esophagus
to rupture.
Rouvaun's rise to stardom was not by accident. His first vocal coach was Mario Chamlee
,a famed tenor among the many who tried to succeed Enrico Caruso at the Metropolitan Opera
in the 1920s. He later studied with Mario Silva, the voice teacher of Mario Lanza
. Rouvaun then studied with Mario Silva, acclaimed voice coach of Mario Lanza
. His singing career led to big city and foreign concerts. His hobbies included foreign cars, riding his motorcycle
, target shooting, listening to jazz
, and painting landscapes and seascapes in oil. He was marketed and promoted by Tony Alamo, who later became a well known Christian minister. Rouvaun had a potential movie contract in the works to star in the life story of Mario Lanza and had the approval of the Lanza family, although the movie with Rouvaun never came to pass. Rouvaun's RCA Victor contract called for several long play records and singles to be recorded and released yearly.
He left behind a wife and children. One son, Jimmy Haun
, went on to become guitarist with the rock group Air Supply
. Jimmy Haun's daughter and Rouvaun's granddaughter is the television actress Lindsey Haun
(born 1984). Rouvaun can be seen and heard here on television and audio clips. An official Rouvaun website put up by Rouvaun's family no longer exists, but a Rouvaun tribute website can still be found on MySpace.com featuring Rouvaun's music, biography and many photographs from his career (including his stint at the Dunes).
A Rouvaun Fan Club existed with many chapters, and comedian Jack Benny
was President of the Burbank Chapter, according to program notes on the Rouvaun Album From The Heart of A Man.
Television appearances:
Record Albums Include:
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. A child singer with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
in Salt Lake City, he went on to study voice at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and perform with the Beverly Hills Opera Company. Nonetheless, he remained a struggling woodworker studying voice. Rouvaun was a virtual unknown until February 5, 1967, when he appeared in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
as the headline singer leading the 100-person Frederick Apcar French stage review Casino De Paris at the Dunes Hotel
Dunes (hotel and casino)
The Dunes Hotel was a Paradise, Nevada, hotel and casino that operated from May 23, 1955 to January 26, 1993, and was the tenth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip. The Bellagio now stands on the former grounds.-History:...
. He billed himself on his debut album cover as "The World's Greatest Singer".
Nicknamed "The Vocal Vesuvius", Rouvaun continued performing on stage to sellout crowds and recorded a number of albums (see below). His career seemed to be blossoming until tragedy struck in 1975, when Rouvaun collapsed and died at age 43 due to massive internal hemorrhaging. Apparently the strain on his vocal cords
Vocal folds
The vocal folds, also known commonly as vocal cords, are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx...
had caused his esophagus
Esophagus
The esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...
to rupture.
Rouvaun's rise to stardom was not by accident. His first vocal coach was Mario Chamlee
Mario Chamlee
Mario Chamlee was the lyric tenor who replaced Enrico Caruso at the Metropolitan Opera. His birth name was Archer Cholmondeley...
,a famed tenor among the many who tried to succeed Enrico Caruso at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in the 1920s. He later studied with Mario Silva, the voice teacher of Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza
right|thumb|[[MGM]] still, circa 1949Mario Lanza was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and the 1950s. The son of Italian emigrants, he began studying to be a professional singer at the age of 16....
. Rouvaun then studied with Mario Silva, acclaimed voice coach of Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza
right|thumb|[[MGM]] still, circa 1949Mario Lanza was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and the 1950s. The son of Italian emigrants, he began studying to be a professional singer at the age of 16....
. His singing career led to big city and foreign concerts. His hobbies included foreign cars, riding his motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
, target shooting, listening to jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and painting landscapes and seascapes in oil. He was marketed and promoted by Tony Alamo, who later became a well known Christian minister. Rouvaun had a potential movie contract in the works to star in the life story of Mario Lanza and had the approval of the Lanza family, although the movie with Rouvaun never came to pass. Rouvaun's RCA Victor contract called for several long play records and singles to be recorded and released yearly.
He left behind a wife and children. One son, Jimmy Haun
Jimmy Haun
Jimmy Carey Haun is a U.S. left-handed guitarist, known for his work with the bands Yes, Air Supply, and Circa.-Career:Haun's first band was Lodgic with childhood friend Michael Sherwood and, later, Michael's younger brother Billy Sherwood. Haun went on to play on Yes's Union album before work in...
, went on to become guitarist with the rock group Air Supply
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
. Jimmy Haun's daughter and Rouvaun's granddaughter is the television actress Lindsey Haun
Lindsey Haun
Lindsey Haun is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her role in the 2000 Disney Channel original movie The Color of Friendship as Mahree Bok, and has starred in the film Broken Bridges, for which she also recorded a portion of the soundtrack.- Personal...
(born 1984). Rouvaun can be seen and heard here on television and audio clips. An official Rouvaun website put up by Rouvaun's family no longer exists, but a Rouvaun tribute website can still be found on MySpace.com featuring Rouvaun's music, biography and many photographs from his career (including his stint at the Dunes).
A Rouvaun Fan Club existed with many chapters, and comedian Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
was President of the Burbank Chapter, according to program notes on the Rouvaun Album From The Heart of A Man.
Television appearances:
- Ed Sullivan Show 1967.
- Jack Benny's Birthday Special 1969.
Record Albums Include:
- Kalamo Records, Rouvaun Sings Love Songs
- RCA Victor Records, A Song of Joy and Love, From The Heart of a Man, On Days Like These, The Sound of Rouvaun, The Time For Love is Anytime, Give Me Love, and Walk Into My Life.
External links
- Rouvaun Tribute Website on MySpace.com http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=71451754