Connie Haines

[mysterysinger]

DFTMC records the following titles for Motown but it seems there are may be many more vaulted.


For Once In My Life
Midnight Johnny
Mr. Pride And Mr. Gloom
Walk In Silence
What's Easy For Two Is Hard For One


FROM WIKIPEDIA

Connie Haines [[born Yvonne Marie Antoinette Jasme; January 20, 1921 – September 22, 2008) was an American singer and actress. Her 200 recordings were frequently up-tempo big band songs with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras, and Frank Sinatra.


Contents
1 Early years
2 Career
3 "The Four Girls"
4 Motown Records
5 Personal life
6 Later years
7 Death
8 Selected discography
9 Filmography
10 References
11 External links

Early years
Born in Savannah, Georgia, Haines was of French-Irish descent. Her mother Mildred JaMais [[February 15, 1899 – January 7, 2010) died about sixteen months after her daughter, shortly before her 111th birthday

She began performing at age 4 as a singer in Pick Malone's Saucy Baby Show in Savannah,[2] and by age 9 had a regular radio show performing as "Baby Yvonne Marie, the Little Princess of the Air". Her professional debut in New York came at the Roxy Theatre when she was 14.

Career
After a number of regional successes and winning the Major Bowes contest, she was hired by Harry James, who asked her to change her name. In 1981, she recalled: "He said you don't look like Yvonne Marie Antonette Jasme. And there would be no room on the marquee for me. You look like a Connie to me."[4] She became the lead singer on The Abbott and Costello Show from 1942 to 1946. She later joined Tommy Dorsey, and Haines credited Dorsey with developing her style further. Haines performed in a number of films, including Duchess of Idaho.

In the early 1950s, Haines had a program, Connie Haines Entertains, on the short-lived Progressive Broadcasting System.

She later did a television show with Frankie Laine. On February 7, 1960, she became hostess of Faith of Our Children. Beginning June 18, 1961, Haines had her own TV program, the Connie Haines Show, which also featured Ziggie Elman, Frankie Carle and the Steiner Brothers.

Haines gave "command performances before three presidents of the United States: Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson."

"The Four Girls"
In the early 1950s, Haines joined with Jane Russell, Beryl Davis and Della Russell to do an impromptu performance at a charity night for Hollywood Episcopal Church. Their version of the spiritual Do Lord not only entertained the audience but also attracted the attention of people in the recording industry. With a recording contract in hand, the group [[with Rhonda Fleming having replaced Della Russell) recorded several gospel songs, donating all of their royalties to the churches to which each belonged. The group also appeared on The Colgate Comedy Hour and the Arthur Murray program on television.


Motown Records
As part of Motown Records diverse signing of new and established artists, in 1965 Haines was one of the first white singers to record for Motown recording 14 songs written by Smokey Robinson, including her 1965 release "What's Easy For Two Is Hard For One" previously recorded by Mary Wells. In 1965 she recorded the first version of "For Once in My Life", which was later a hit for Stevie Wonder, but her version was not released until 2015.

Personal life
She was married and divorced twice. Her first marriage, on September 7, 1951,[10] was to World War II flying ace Robert DeHaven, a Hughes Aircraft executive and test pilot,[11] [[January 13, 1922 – July 10, 2008) in 1951. That marriage produced a son and a daughter. Haines and DeHaven were divorced February 19, 1962.[12] Her subsequent marriage to popular bandleader Del Courtney [[September 24, 1910 – February 11, 2006) lasted from 1966 to 1972.

In the late 1950s, Haines struggled with physical problems that left her paralyzed for more than a year. She was pregnant with her second child and performing at the Biltmore Bowl in Los Angeles when she began to have trouble walking. She had to cancel the show and enter a hospital. A newspaper article said: "X-rays showed that her hip bones had separated and one was dangling, twisting the spinal cord. A hormone imbalance aggravated her condition and she was ordered to bed." Even after her son was born, she was paralyzed for 13 additional months.

In 2002, Haines was in an automobile accident that broke two vertebrae in her neck.

Later years

Publicity photo for G.I. Jive Musical Special [[1980) featuring Haines, Andy Russell, and Hildegarde!
In 1969, Haines became hostess of the Prize Movie weekday broadcast on Channel 7 in San Francisco.

After studying two years[16] at Unity Village, Missouri,[17] Haines was ordained a minister in the Unity Church in August 1975. She first ministered with a church in Sacramento, California, and later worked with Christ Church Unity in El Cajon, California.

In 1980, she performed on "G.I. Jive," a television musical special billed as a nostalgic tribute to World War II entertainers. It was produced by PBS for its fundraising drive and shown on PBS stations across the country. It was repeated throughout the 1980s.

In 1981, Haines described herself as "an ambassadoress for Home Savings and Loan," adding that the firm provided concerts to raise funds for charities.


Death

Connie Haines died of myasthenia gravis on September 22, 2008 at age 87. She was survived by her son, daughter, sister and 109-year-old mother, Mildred JaMais

MIDNIGHT JOHNNY EXTENDED

[Graham Jarvis]

Always grateful to Wikipedia, please if you can any small donations will be welcomed by them.

Here's a few more Motown originally unissued tracks:

I Wish I Liked you [As Much As I Love you] - A Cellar Full of Motown 5 CD
In The Neighborhood - Good Good Feeling-More Motown Girls CD

[Sotosound]

Connie's vocals on "Midnight Johnny" sound a lot like many of Duffy's vocal on her Rockferry album from 2008.

Rockferry is full of old soul influences and very much worth a listen, if only to pick up the retro vibe and say "That's from ...." and "She borrowed that from ...".

I purchased Rockferry before I consciously listened to "Midnight Johnny" but when I did properly listen to Midnight Johnny I stopped in my tracks and thought "Now I know who Duffy's been listening to." Duffy adds an extra edge to her voice, but boy does she sound like Connie singing "Midnight Johnny" on some of her recordings.

I now feel like singing along with Gladys and her Pips ... "Do you hear what I hear?"

[psychedelic jacques]

I think 'Mr Pride & Mr Gloom' is one of THE best things to have been dug out from the vaults in the past thirty years. I dream that one day a Wanda led Marvelettes version will be found.

[woodward]

I would not build up my hopes on a Wanda led Marvelettes version. DFTMC has no record that the Marvelettes ever recorded it, and furthemore, in the booklet for FOREVER MORE, volume 2 it is stated as follows: ". . . As of this writing, summer 2011. these tracks represent all of the completed unreleased tracks remaining in the vault. . . ." Sorry to say that there is no Mr. Pride & Mr. Gloom in the Hip O Select release.

[Roger Polhill]

There is hope Woodward didn`t we get "Sweet Talking Guy" fairly recently?

[kenneth]

There is hope Woodward didn`t we get "Sweet Talking Guy" fairly recently?

That’s correct, Rog. But I think the guys had made a decision not to include it in the box set because they felt it was incomplete or something… Unless I’m mixing it up with that other weird track that showed up on another compilation credited to the “Marvelettes” but in quotes to show that it was really just a demo and actually didn’t contain any of the Marvelettes. Hopefully you’ll get a more definitive answer from one of the many experts here.

[TomatoTom123]

Connie's vocals on "Midnight Johnny" sound a lot like many of Duffy's vocal on her Rockferry album from 2008.

Rockferry is full of old soul influences and very much worth a listen, if only to pick up the retro vibe and say "That's from ...." and "She borrowed that from ...".

I purchased Rockferry before I consciously listened to "Midnight Johnny" but when I did properly listen to Midnight Johnny I stopped in my tracks and thought "Now I know who Duffy's been listening to." Duffy adds an extra edge to her voice, but boy does she sound like Connie singing "Midnight Johnny" on some of her recordings.

I now feel like singing along with Gladys and her Pips ... "Do you hear what I hear?"

Good spot Soto! I've not really paid much attention to Connie Haines' Motown recordings before but listening now I can definitely hear a lot of similarities.

And that Duffy album is pretty good. My favourites are are "Mercy", "Warwick Avenue", "Serious" and "Stepping Stone". It’s a shame she hasn’t kept recording very much since [only one other album in 2010, and one single in 2015]

[Sotosound]

Good spot Soto! I've not really paid much attention to Connie Haines' Motown recordings before but listening now I can definitely hear a lot of similarities.

And that Duffy album is pretty good. My favourites are are "Mercy", "Warwick Avenue", "Serious" and "Stepping Stone". It’s a shame she hasn’t kept recording very much since [only one other album in 2010, and one single in 2015]

Rockferry would have been a difficult album to follow up without a considerable change of style as anything else would have been more of the same, which isn't always gratefully or graciously received.

Duffy also experienced some serious personal trauma, including being kidnapped, that b*ggered her life up somewhat and no doubt stopped her in her tracks.

[144man]

Strange how Connie Haines was able to adopt her style enough to sound comfortable on her Motown recordings whereas some artistes like Tony Martin sounded completely out of place on theirs.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Strange how Connie Haines was able to adopt her style enough to sound comfortable on her Motown recordings whereas some artistes like Tony Martin sounded completely out of place on theirs.

I believe that all boiled down to Connie's determination. I've said it a million times and I'll keep right on saying it: I have a LOT of respect and admiration for that woman. In her autobiography, Connie doesn't talk in depth or at length about her time at Motown but she did seem genuinely excited about being signed at the company. She recalled that her peers' reaction to this new "rock 'n' roll" music was fairly negative and they asked her if she REALLY was going to sing this stuff [[it wasn't anything toward Motown in particular, just the new youth-oriented music in general.)

Connie's attitude was that she was going to have fun with it but she also took it VERY seriously. She remarked that she worked very hard to learn how to sing on the beat and to this rhythmic style that was new for her. I don't get the impression she looked at Motown as anything less-important than her Big Band era or gospel recordings. When I listen to her on "Mr. Pride & Mr. Gloom," it sounds as if indeed she was really focused on getting it right, especially on the bridge where everything is stripped down to drums, bass and Connie- listen to how meticulously she sings those passages. She doesn't toss off a single line. That woman impresses me more than any of the other Motown middle-of-the-road signings because she was thoroughly the opposite in every way of the Motown artist, and yet she did an amazing job blending in.

[bradsupremes]

To me, Connie’s version of “What’s Easy For Two Is Hard For One” is the definitive version. No other version comes close. She handles it so smoothly set against Smokey’s laid back production. I would love to hear a stereo version.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

To me, Connie’s version of “What’s Easy For Two Is Hard For One” is the definitive version. No other version comes close. She handles it so smoothly set against Smokey’s laid back production. I would love to hear a stereo version.

I've always been afraid to voice my preference for Connie's version over Mary Wells'. It's nothing against Mary, but to me, Smokey's recording with her sounded as if he was "working out" the mechanics of the sound that would be fully-realized on "My Guy." Mary's "What's Easy..." sounds wonderful, but it almost sounds like a warm-up. Now, Connie's version- that sounds like Smokey KNEW where he wanted that song to go, exactly how he wanted it to sound. Connie sounds sultry, sexy and playful. If this was a woman for whom Rock music was something new, she amazingly nailed the style right here.

[bradsupremes]

I've always been afraid to voice my preference for Connie's version over Mary Wells'. It's nothing against Mary, but to me, Smokey's recording with her sounded as if he was "working out" the mechanics of the sound that would be fully-realized on "My Guy." Mary's "What's Easy..." sounds wonderful, but it almost sounds like a warm-up. Now, Connie's version- that sounds like Smokey KNEW where he wanted that song to go, exactly how he wanted it to sound. Connie sounds sultry, sexy and playful. If this was a woman for whom Rock music was something new, she amazingly nailed the style right here.

I never cared for Mary's original. That organ is way overboard - am at I ballgame or something? And overall her version sounds choppy and rough. You listen to it then listen to Connie's and its night and day. Everything about Connie's version is right. Her vocal approach is perfect, the Funk Brothers are in a laid back swing, the Andantes harmonies... Smokey checked all the boxes on that one.

[detmotownguy]

I never cared for Mary's original. That organ is way overboard - am at I ballgame or something? And overall her version sounds choppy and rough. You listen to it then listen to Connie's and its night and day. Everything about Connie's version is right. Her vocal approach is perfect, the Funk Brothers are in a laid back swing, the Andantes harmonies... Smokey checked all the boxes on that one.

Agree Brad. [[Seems like your mailbox is full. I need to send you some info - Thanks)

[motony]

comparing Connie Haines to Mary Wells is like comparing Babs Streisand to Aretha Franklin, LOL. "Whats Easy For Two" by Mary Wells was a "B" side that became a major hit. Smokeys production of the Connie Haines track was 3 years later [[1966) . I remember reading decades ago that Connie Haines actually was a fan of the Mary Wells' record.