Connie Haines
| Connie Haines | |
|---|---|
Haines in 1943
|
|
| Born |
Yvonne Marie Antoinette JaMais January 20, 1921 Savannah, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | September 22, 2008 (aged 87) Clearwater Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Myasthenia gravis |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1943–1986 |
| Spouse(s) | Robert De Haven (m.1951–?) 2 children Del Courtney (m.1966–1972; divorced) |
| Children | Kimberly Harlan Robert DeHaven Jr. |
Connie Haines (January 20, 1921 – September 22, 2008) was an American singer. Her 200 recordings were frequently up-tempo big band songs with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras, and Frank Sinatra.
Born Yvonne Marie Antoinette Jasme in Savannah, Georgia, Haines was of French-Irish descent. Her mother Mildred JaMais (February 15, 1899 – January 7, 2010) survived her daughter by about sixteen months, and died shortly before her 111th birthday.
She began performing at age 4 as a singer in Pick Malone's Saucy Baby Show in Savannah, 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.
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." 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."
...
Wikipedia