Helen Ward (jazz singer)

Infobox musical artist


Name = Helen Ward
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Background = solo_singer
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Born = 19 september 1916
New York, United States
Died = 21 April 1999
Arlington, Virginia, United States
Genre = jazz, swing
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Helen Ward (1916, New York City – 21 April 1998, Arlington, Virginia) was an American singer of swing music. Her father had taught her piano, and she appeared on radio broadcasts with WOR and WNYC. She also worked as a staff musician at WNYC.

Starting in 1934, she sang in Benny Goodman's first band, and became one of the first popular swing "girl singers", as they were then called, and among Goodman's most popular. While performing with Benny Goodman she and Benny had a brief romance and he came very close to proposing marriage to her in either 1935 or 1936. However, according to Ward in the documentary "Adventures in the Kingdom of Swing", he called it off at the last minute, citing his career. She married financier Albert Marx the following year and left the band. In 1938, Marx arranged for Goodman's Carnegie Hall concert to be recorded for her as an anniversary present. That recording was later released as a dual LP set by Columbia Records in 1950.

During the 1940s, Ward worked with the bands of Hal McIntyre and Harry James. She became a radio show producer for WMGM in 1946-1947. [cite news | author=Jon Pareles | title= Helen Ward, 82, Who Sang Hits With Goodman's Band in the 30's | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E6D9143EF933A05757C0A96E958260&st=cse&sq=%22Helen+Ward%22&scp=3 | work=The New York Times | date=30 April 1998 | accessdate=2008-02-15] After her marriage to Marx ended, Ward later married the audio engineer Bill Savory. Ward continued to do sporadic studio work and also worked briefly with Peanuts Hucko.

Ward did occasional tours with Goodman in the 1950s, but effectively retired by 1960. She made a brief return in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She returned to singing at New York City clubs in 1979. In 1981, she released the album "The Helen Ward Song Book Vol. I."

References

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:sx3m961o3ep3~T1 All Music]
* [http://www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=920547543 Jazz House obituary]