Toni Harper (aka Toni Dunlap) is a former child singer

Child singer

A child singer is a child who has a career as a singer. Child singers and people who have been child singers include:* From age 2 Judy Garland* From age 4 Donny Osmond* From age 5 Michael Jackson...

, who retired from performing at the age of 29.

After learning dance under Maceo Anderson

Maceo Anderson

Maceo Anderson expressed an interest in dancing at the age of three. As a child, he used to sneak into the Lafayette Theatre to watch performances with his young friends. He and his friends would practice dance routines...

, Harper was cast by the choreographer Nick Castle in Christmas Follies, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre

Ebell of Los Angeles

The Ebell of Los Angeles is a women's club housed in a complex in the Mid-City section of Los Angeles that includes a clubhouse building and the renowned 1,270-seat Wilshire Ebell Theatre....

 in 1945. She later went on to perform on stage with Herb Jeffries and Cab Calloway

Cab Calloway

Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was strongly associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City where he was a regular performer....

.

Harper recorded "Candy Store Blues" in 1946, which became a platinum record, appeared twice on Talk of the Town (later the Ed Sullivan Show) in 1949, and made her third and final appearance on the show in 1950.

After success as a child singer, Harper recorded her first album, Toni

Toni (album)

Toni is a 1956 studio album by Toni Harper, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson trio. -Track listing:# "Can't We Be Friends?" – 3:26# "I Could Write a Book" – 2:36...

, for Verve Records

Verve Records

Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...

 in 1955, with the Oscar Peterson

Oscar Peterson

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...

 trio. She made two further albums in 1959 and 1962, Lady Lonely and Night Mood, for RCA Victor.

Harper toured Japan with Cannonball Adderley in 1963, and appeared in the 1965 film How to Stuff a Wild Bikini

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini is a 1965 beach party film from American International Pictures. The sixth entry in a seven-film series, the movie features Mickey Rooney, Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Brian Donlevy, and Beverly Adams...

, before retiring from performing in 1966.

Discography

• 1956 Toni
  Toni (album)
  Toni is a 1956 studio album by Toni Harper, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson trio. -Track listing:# "Can't We Be Friends?" – 3:26# "I Could Write a Book" – 2:36...
  
  (with the Oscar Peterson
  Oscar Peterson
  Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
  
   trio)
• 1959 Lady Lonely
• 1962 Night Mood

External links

• ToniDunlap.com Official Site