Georgia Gibbs

Georgia Gibbs (born Fredda Lipson Gibbons, later Fredda Gibson, her date of birth is alternately listed as 8/17/20 or 8/26/20 or 8/26/27) is an American popular singer.

Related Topics:
American - Popular - Singer

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Brought up in an orphanage in Worchester, Massachusetts, Georgia Gibbs (then Fredda Gibbons) vowed to make a better life for herself and turned to singing as a means of realizing her dream. Blessed with a remarkable voice, began her professional career at the age of 12, and was singing in Boston's Raymor Ballroom the following year. She cut her first record with the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra in 1936 (when she could have been no older than 15 or 16 years old).

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She soon found steady work on popular radio shows including "Your Hit Parade," "Melody Puzzles" and "The Tim And Irene Show." Gibbs freelanced in the late 1930s and 1940s singing with the bands of Frankie Trumbauer, Hal Kemp, Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw. It was with Shaw's band (then billed as "Fredda Gibson") that she scored her first hit, "Absent Minded Moon," in 1942.

Related Topics:
1930s - 1940s - Frankie Trumbauer - Hal Kemp - Tommy Dorsey - Artie Shaw

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In 1943, she changed her name to "Georgia Gibbs" and began appearing on the popular "Camel Caravan" radio program, hosted by Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore (it was Moore who bestowed the famous nickname "Her Nibs, Miss Georgia Gibbs" upon her). The nickname is a playful reference to her diminutive stature of barely over 5 feet.

Related Topics:
Jimmy Durante - Garry Moore

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Gibbs signed with Majestic Records in 1946, and while she recorded many great records she would have to wait until 1950 for her first hit single, "If I Knew You Were Coming, I'd Have Baked A Cake" (on the Coral label).

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Possessed with a versatile voice, she cut a long list of great records in every category from torch songs to rock and roll, to jazz, swing, old fashioned ballads and cha chas. Her most successful record was "Kiss Of Fire," which reached the #1 position on the pop music charts in 1952.

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Sultry and throbbing, with a touch of vibratto, Georgia Gibbs' voice is best showcased on romantic ballads and torch songs like "Melancholy Baby," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Autumn Leaves" and "You Keep Coming Back Like A Song." Yet she could be equally thrilling belting out a red hot jazz numbers like "Red Hot Mama and A-Razz-A-Ma-Tazz," or jiving with tunes like "Ol Man Mose" and "Shoo Shoo Baby." Her "Swingin' With Her Nibbs" album of 1956 demonstrates her natural affinity for improvisation as well.

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Gibbs continued to be a frequent visitor to the charts throughout the first half of the decade (with over 40 charted songs), and was briefly successful doing rock 'n' roll songs as well. She appeared on many television shows throughout the decade, including the legendary Ed Sullivan show, and hosted one of her own, "Georgia Gibbs And Her Million Record Show."

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Sadly she spent many years being best known for her cover versions of Etta James' "The Wallflower" (recorded by Gibbs with modified lyrics under the title "Dance With Me Henry") and of LaVern Baker's "Tweedle Dee" (a minor scandal due to Ms. Baker's vociferous complaints) and for her novelty number "The Hula Hoop Song," which was her last hit, in 1958.

Related Topics:
Cover version - Etta James - Dance With Me Henry - LaVern Baker - Hula Hoop

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In recent years, her reputation has been steadily growing -- partially due to the availability of her songs on cd.

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