Ethel Merman

Here is a beautiful song by legendary singer and actress Ethel Merman.
Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann, 1908-1984) was a American actress of stage and film musicals, well known for her powerful voice, often hailed by critics as "The Grande Dame of the Broadway stage". Merman was known for her powerful, belting mezzo-soprano voice, precise enunciation, and pitch. Because stage singers performed without microphones when she began singing professionally, she had great advantages in show business, despite the fact that she never received any singing lessons. Merman began singing while working as a secretary for the B-K Booster (automobile) Vacuum Brake Company in Queens. She eventually became a full time vaudeville performer and played the pinnacle of vaudeville, the Palace Theatre in New York City. She had already been engaged for Girl crazy, a musical with songs by George and Ira Gershwin, which also starred a very young Ginger Rogers (19 years old) in 1930. Although third billed, her rendition of I got rhythm in the show was popular, and by the late 1930s, she had become the first lady of the Broadway musical stage. Many consider her the leading Broadway musical performer of the twentieth century, with her signature song being There's no business like show business (from Annie get your gun).

Merman starred in five Cole Porter musicals, among them Anything goes in 1934, where she introduced I get a kick out of you, Blow Gabriel blow, and the title song. Her next musical with Porter was Red, hot and blue, in which she co-starred with Bob Hope and Jimmy Durante and introduced It's delovely and Down in the depths (on the 90th floor). In 1939's DuBarry was a lady, Porter provided Merman with a "can you top this" duet with Bert Lahr, Friendship. Like You're the top in Anything goes, this kind of duet became one of her signatures. Porter's lyrics also helped showcase her comic talents in duets in Panama hattie (Let's be buddies, I've still got my health), and Something for the boys (By the Mississinewah, Hey good lookin').

Merman won the 1951 Tony Award for best actress for her performance as Sally Adams in Call me Madam. Perhaps Merman's most revered performance was in Gypsy as Gypsy Rose Lee's mother Rose. Merman introduced Everything's coming up roses and Some people and ended the show with the wrenching Rose's turn. Critics and audiences saw her creation of Madame Rose as the performance of her career. Merman lost the Tony Award to Mary Martin, who was playing Maria in The sound of music. "How can you buck a nun?" mused Merman. The competitiveness notwithstanding, Merman and Martin were friends off stage and starred in a legendary musical special on television. Merman retired from Broadway in 1970, when she appeared as the last Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!, a show initially written for her. No longer willing to "take the veil", as she described being in a Broadway role, Merman preferred to act in television specials and movies. In 1979, she recorded The Ethel Merman disco album, with many of her signature show-stoppers set to a disco beat. Ethel Merman put in everything she made generosity and an infectious good humour.

Enjoy her great voice and unique style!

Whispering

3 other great medleys by the dynamic Ethel!