June Christy

American singer

June Christy (born Shirley Luster; November 20, 1925 – June 21, 1990) was an American singer, known for her work in the cool jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals. Her success as a singer began with The Stan Kenton Orchestra. She pursued a solo career from 1954 and is best known for her debut album Something Cool. After her death, she was hailed as "one of the finest and most neglected singers of her time."

Shirley Luster was born in Springfield, Illinois, United States.

In 1945, after hearing that Anita O'Day had left Stan Kenton's Orchestra, she auditioned and was chosen for the role as a vocalist. During this time, she changed her name once again, becoming June Christy. Her voice produced hits such as "Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy", the million selling "Tampico" in 1945, and "How High the Moon". Christy appeared as guest vocalist on the Kenton albums: Artistry in Rhythm (Capitol BD 39, 1946 [1947]), A Presentation of Progressive Jazz (Capitol CD 79, 1947 [1948]), Encores (Capitol CC 113, 1945–47 [1949]), Innovations in Modern Music (Capitol P 189, 1950), Stan Kenton Presents (Capitol L/P 248, 1950), Stan Kenton Classics (Capitol H/T 358, 1944–47 [1952]), and The Kenton Era (Capitol WDX 569, 1940–54, [1955]). Beginning on September 28, 1959, Christy began a five week road tour of 38 performances called Road Show. The all star billing: Stan Kenton and his Orchestra, June Christy, and The Four Freshmen. Capitol recorded highlights on October 10 at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, for a two disc LP, reissued on CD in 1988.

From 1947, she started to work on her own records, primarily with arranger and bandleader Pete Rugolo. In 1954, she released a 10" LP entitled Something Cool, recorded with Rugolo and his orchestra, Something Cool was also important in launching the vocal cool movement of the 1950s, and it hit the Top 20 Charts, as did her third album, The Misty Miss Christy. In the 1950s and 1960s, Christy appeared on a number of television programs, including the short lived CBS show Adventures in Jazz (1949), Eddie Condon's Floor Show (1949), The Jackie Gleason Show (1953), The Tonight Show (1955), The Nat King Cole Show (1957), Stars of Jazz (1958), The Steve Allen Show (1959), The Lively Ones (1963), and The Joey Bishop Show (1967). She also appeared on the first sponsored jazz concert on television, The Timex All Star Jazz Show I (December 30, 1957), which also featured Louis Armstrong, Carmen McRae, Duke Ellington, and Gene Krupa. Christy played in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and Japan, but the extensive touring eventually began taking a toll on her marriage, and she pulled back from touring by the 1960s. R. M. Cook and Brian Morton, writers of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, appreciated the singer's body of work: "Christy's wholesome but particularly sensuous voice is less an improviser's vehicle than an instrument for long, controlled lines and the shading of a fine vibrato. Her greatest momentsthe heartbreaking 'Something Cool' itself, 'Midnight Sun', 'I Should Care'are as close to creating definitive interpretations as any singer can come." She also had an older brother, Jack A. Luster (19202013).

ReleasedAlbumLabel & Number1950Day Dream (10" 78rpm 4 disc album set)Capitol CC 126 (? )1953Get Happy With June Christy (7" 45rpm EP) Capitol EAP 1 4481954Something Cool with Pete Rugolo & His Orchestra (10" LP, 7 songs)Capitol H 5161955Duet with Stan Kenton (12" LP)Capitol T 6561955Something Cool with Pete Rugolo & His Orchestra (12" LP, 11 songs)Capitol T 5161956The Misty Miss Christy (12" LP)Capitol T 725; reissue: Discovery DS 919, 19851957Fair and Warmer!Capitol T 8331957Gone for the DayCapitol T 902; reissue: Discovery DS 911, 19851958This Is June Christy! (compilation)Capitol T 10061958June's Got RhythmCapitol ST 10761958The Song Is June!Capitol ST 11141959June Christy Recalls Those Kenton DaysCapitol ST 1202; reissue: Pausa PR 9064, 19861959Ballads for Night PeopleCapitol ST 13081959Road Show with Stan Kenton and The Four Freshmen (2 LP set)Capitol STBO 1327; reissues: Creative World ST 1019 (Vol. 1), ST 1020 (Vol. 2)1960The Cool SchoolCapitol ST 13981960Something Cool (newly recorded "stereo" version)Capitol SM 5161960Off BeatCapitol ST 14981961Do Re Mi (A Modern Interpretation of the Hit Broadway Musical) with Bob CooperCapitol ST 15861961This Time of YearCapitol ST 16051962The Best of June Christy (compilation)Capitol T 16931962Big Band SpecialsCapitol ST 1845; reissue: Pausa PR 9039, 19851963The Intimate Miss ChristyCapitol ST 19531963The Swinging Chicks (shared album with Fran Warren; 5 songs by each) Camay Records CA 30421965Something Broadway, Something Latin with Ernie Freeman's MusicCapitol ST 24101977Impromptu with Lou Levy SextetInterplay IP 7710; reissue: Discovery DS 836, 19811986A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening (transcriptions: 6 from Stand By For Music radio show, 1956; 8 from The Navy Swings radio show, 1966)Jasmine JASM 25281986The Uncollected June Christy with The Kentones (from Capitol Transcription sessions, 1946–1947)Hindsight SR 2191987The Uncollected June Christy, Vol. II (transcriptions: 12 from U. S. Marine Corps radio show, 1956; 2 from The Bob Crosby Show radio show, 1956)Hindsight SR 235

Release dateAlbumLabel1994June Christy and the Stan Kenton OrchestraCollectors' Choice Music CCM 0011995Day Dreams (1947–1955)Capitol1995Through the Years (1946/1957/1965)Hindsight HCD 2601995Spotlight On June ChristyCapitol1997The Best of June Christy: The Jazz SessionsCapitol1998A Friendly Session, Vol. 1 (with the Johnny Guarnieri Quintet)Jasmine JASCD 3411999A Friendly Session, Vol. 2 (with the Johnny Guarnieri Quintet)Jasmine JASCD 3491999Live at the Newport Jazz Festival, July 1972 (with Stan Kenton & His Orchestra)Jazz Band EBCD 2145 22000The Ballad CollectionCapitol2000A Friendly Session, Vol. 3 (with the Johnny Guarnieri Quintet)Jasmine JASCD 3692002Cool Christy (1945–1951)Proper PVCD 112 [2 CD]2012101 Essential June Christy: Something CoolAP Music Ltd.2019The June Christy/Stan Kenton Collection 1945–1955Acrobat ADDCD 3290 [2 CD]

DateSeriesSongs 1949 Adventures in Jazz Unknown 1949 Art Ford Show Unknown 1949 Eddie Condon's Floor Show Unknown 1950 The Alan Young Show Unknown 1950 Jack Carter Show Unknown 9/29/1950 Penthouse Party Unknown 1/12/1951 Penthouse Party Unknown 3/7/1953 The Jackie Gleason Show Unknown 1955 The Tonight Show with Steve Allen Unknown 9/3/1956 Stars of Jazz Unknown 7/9/1957 Nat King Cole Show I Want to Be Happy; How High the Moon 12/30/1957 Timex All Star Jazz I Want to be Happy 3/3/1958 Stars of Jazz Get Happy; That's All 6/2/1958 Stars of Jazz I Want to Be Happy; That's All 10/1/1959 Playboy's Penthouse How High the Moon; I Want to Be Happy; Something Cool 11/23/1959 The Steve Allen Plymouth Show Midnight Sun; Medley with Steve and Mel 9/10/1962 The Steve Allen Playhouse Midnight Sun; Willow Weep for Me 2/11/1963 One O'Clock Show Unknown 8/8/1963 The Lively Ones I'll Take Romance; Midnight Sun 1/10/1964 On Stage Unknown 2/24/1965 The Mike Douglas Show Unknown 6/2/1965 Not Only But Also You Came a Long Way From St. Louis; Just in Time; Remind Me; My Shining Hour 8/12/1965 Mike Douglas Show Unknown 11/8/1967 The Joey Bishop Show Unknown 2/20/1968 Woody Woodbury Show A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening; My Shining Hour; Midnight Sun (with Stan Kenton) 6/30/1972 The Dick Cavett Show A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening; Remind Me; My Shining Hour 1972 Words & Music by Bobby Troup (with Stan Kenton) The Meaning of the Blues; Hey Daddy; Lonely Girl 6/2/1975 New Morning Unknown