June Christy

June Christy secured a place as one of the most successful and respected cool jazz singers of the 1950s with her intimate, intelligent, and artistic style. Christy rose to prominence as a singer for the Stan Kenton Orchestra, replacing Anita O’Day in 1945. She recorded a number of hits with Kenton’s band, including the million-selling “Tampico,” but it wasn’t until she began releasing solo albums in the early ‘50s that she truly hit her artistic stride. 1952’s SOMETHING COOL, recorded with Kenton arranger Pete Rugolo, proved her breakthrough album, effectively launching the cool vocals movement. It’s follow-up, THE MISTY MISS CHRISTY, was equally influential, and Christy continued to record regularly until 1965.