Editing Jill Corey

{{Short description|American popular standards singer (1935–2021)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image             = Jill Corey 1955.JPG
| caption           = Corey in 1955.
| name              = Jill Corey
| background        = solo_singer
| birth_name        = Norma Jean Speranza
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1935|09|30}}
| birth_place       = [[Avonmore, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2021|4|3|1935|9|30}}
| death_place       = [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| genre             = [[Traditional pop]]
| years_active      = 
| website           = {{URL|jillcorey.net}}
}}

'''Jill Corey''' (born '''Norma Jean Speranza'''; September 30, 1935 – April 3, 2021)<ref name="obit">{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/triblive-valley-news-dispatch/obituary.aspx?pid=198271792|title=Jill Corey 1935 - 2021|accessdate=December 31, 2022|website=[[legacy.com]]|via=The Valley News Dispatch on Apr. 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424131716/https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/triblive-valley-news-dispatch/obituary.aspx?pid=198271792|archive-date=April 24, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> was an American [[Traditional pop|popular standards]] singer. She was discovered and signed on one day when she was 17. She went on to have her own radio shows and to star in a feature film.

==Biography==
[[Italian-American]],<ref name="sumrob">{{cite book |last1=Summers |first1=Anthony |last2=Swan |first2=Robbyn |date=2010 |title=Sinatra: The Life |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-dAKzGzfeOgC |location=U.S. |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |pages=202-203, 205, 393, 574 |isbn=9780307427762}}</ref> Corey was born in [[Avonmore, Pennsylvania]], a coal mining community about forty miles east of [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]].<ref name="coreyfeature" /> Her father, Bernard Speranza, was a coal miner,<ref>{{cite news|title=Jill Corey To Marry Brazil Envoy|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/24702249/?terms=%22Norma%2BJean%2BSperanza%22|work=The Indiana Gazette|date=April 11, 1969|location=Pennsylvania, Indiana|page=1|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = June 13, 2017}} {{Open access}}</ref> and she was the youngest of five children. Her mother died when she was four years old.<ref name="coreyfeature">{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=From Speranza to Corey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I0gEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA137 |magazine=[[Life (magazine)|Life]] |location=New York City |publisher=[[Time Inc.]] |date=November 9, 1953 |access-date=December 31, 2022 |pages=137–143}}</ref>

She was a 1953 graduate of Bell-Avon High School.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hastings|first1=Bill|title=The Lottery Winner's Right|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11652316/indiana_gazette/|work=The Indiana Gazette|date=July 16, 1981|location=Pennsylvania, Indiana|page=13|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = June 12, 2017}} {{Open access}}</ref> Corey began singing as an imitator of [[Carmen Miranda]] at family gatherings, on amateur shows in grade school, and  [[contralto]] in the local church choir.<ref name="sumrob" /> At the age of 13, she began to develop her own style. She won first prize at a talent contest sponsored by the [[Lions Club]], which entitled  her to sing a song on WAVL in [[Apollo, Pennsylvania]]. This got her an offer to have her own program. By the age of 14 she was working seven nights a week, earning $5-$6 a night,<ref name="coreyfeature" /> with a local orchestra led by Johnny Murphy.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Help! Help! Help! |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |location=New York City |publisher=[[Eldridge Industries]] |date=July 22, 1957 |access-date=December 31, 2022 |pages=37}}</ref> By the age of 17 she was a local celebrity talent.<ref name="coreyfeature" />

[[Image:Jill-Corey 2013-11-16.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A photo of Jill Corey in 2013|Corey in 2013]]
At the home of the only owner of a tape recorder in town, with trains going by in the background and no accompaniment, she made a tape recording to demonstrate her singing skills to the outside show business world. The tape came to the attention of [[Mitch Miller]],<ref name="coreyfeature" /><ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Columbia Signs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4EQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |location=New York City |publisher=[[Eldridge Industries]] |date=October 10, 1953 |access-date=December 31, 2022 |pages=20}}</ref> who headed the [[A&R|artists & repertory]] section at [[Columbia Records]]. He normally received over 100 record demos a week, and this one, with a 17-year-old girl and its train background, would not have been likely to gain his attention.<ref name="coreyfeature" /> 
He telephoned her in Avonmore, and the next morning she flew to New York to be heard by Miller in a more normal studio setting. Miller had ''[[Life Magazine]]'' send over reporters and photographers, and had her audition with [[Arthur Godfrey]] and [[Dave Garroway]].<ref name="sumrob" /> The ''Life'' photographers reenacted her signing a contract with Columbia, and all this happened in a single day, with her headed back to Avonmore that night.<ref name="coreyfeature" />

Both Garroway and Godfrey called her, and it was her choice to pick one; she picked Garroway, who took the name '''Jill Corey''' out of a [[telephone]] book.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Columbia Signs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ynYcAQAAMAAJ |magazine=Woman's Home Companion |volume=82 |location=New York City |publisher=Crowell & Kirkpatrick Company |date=1955 |access-date=December 31, 2022 |page=36}}</ref><ref name="jillcoreycollection" /><ref name="broadwayworld" /> Within six weeks the ''Life'' article, with a cover picture and seven pages, came out. Jill Corey became the youngest star ever at the [[Copacabana (nightclub)|Copacabana]] nightclub,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Baggelaar |first1=Kristin |date=2006 |title=The Copacabana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cPZlsH51vZUC&pg=PA110 |location=[[Charleston, South Carolina]] |publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] |pages=110 |isbn=9780307483201}}</ref> where she was [[Flirting|hit on]] by [[Frank Sinatra]],<ref name="sumrob" /> and had numerous hit records.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Best Sellers in Stores For Survey Week Ending August 31, 1957 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QSEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA46 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |location=New York City |publisher=[[Eldridge Industries]] |date=September 8, 1957 |access-date=December 31, 2022 |pages=43, 45, 46, 48, 50}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Reviews of New Pop Records |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nx4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |location=New York City |publisher=[[Eldridge Industries]] |date=July 3, 1954 |access-date=December 31, 2022 |pages=20}}</ref> Even so, in May 1956, [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] described Corey as a performer who "hasn't made it big" despite the amount of publicity she received.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Grevatt |first=Ben |title=Canned Milk Can't Cow Canned Music on Quota of Laughs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fB8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA21 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |location=New York City |publisher=[[Eldridge Industries]] |date=May 5, 1956 |access-date=December 31, 2022 |pages=21}}</ref>

Corey was a regular on the television variety programs ''Robert Q's Matinee'' (1950–1956)<ref>{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=900|edition=2nd}}</ref> ''[[The Dave Garroway Show (television program)|The Dave Garroway Show]]'' (1953–1954),<ref>{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=239|edition=2nd}}</ref><ref name="coreyfeature" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Tim |last2=Marsh |first2=Earle F. |date=2014 |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&pg=PA517 |location=New York |publisher=[[Random House]] |pages=517 |isbn=9780307483201}}</ref> and the 1958–1959 version of ''[[Your Hit Parade]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=1209|edition=2nd}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Terrace |first1=Vincent |date=2010 |title=From Radio to Television: Programs That Made the Transition, 1929-2021 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nI-WEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA216 |location= |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |page=216 |isbn=9781476646930}}</ref> She was co-host of ''Music on Ice'', a variety program on NBC (1960).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=725|edition=2nd}}</ref>

She also worked on television with [[Ed Sullivan]]. In 1956 she became a regular on [[Johnny Carson]]'s [[CBS]]-network comedy-variety show from California.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Tim |last2=Marsh |first2=Earle F. |date=2014 |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&pg=PA713 |location=New York |publisher=[[Random House]] |pages=713 |isbn=9780307483201}}</ref> In addition, she had her own syndicated [[radio]] and television shows, like ''The Jill Corey Show'' hosted by the [[National Guard Bureau]],<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Havell |first=George F. |title=Radio-TV Tells the Army Story |volume=13 |issue=8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZTvLoLGi2uIC&pg=PA55 |magazine=Army Information Digest |location=Alexandria, Virginia |publisher=[[U.S. Army]] |date=August 1958 |access-date=December 31, 2022 |pages=55}}</ref> the ''Jill Corey Sings'' radio show,<ref>{{cite report |author=National Guard Bureau |author-link=National Guard Bureau |date=1960 |title=Annual Report of the Chief of the National Guard Bureau |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K6nK2BS8jzYC&pg=RA2-PA12 |publisher=[[Government Printing Office]] |page=12 |access-date=December 31, 2022 }}</ref> and episodes of "Stop the Music" radio show.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Terrace |first1=Vincent |date=2010 |title=From Radio to Television: Programs That Made the Transition, 1929-2021 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nI-WEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA196 |location=U.S. |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |page=196 |isbn=9781476646930}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kaplan |first1=James |date=2016 |title=Sinatra: The Chairman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ANsiDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA54 |location=U.S. |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |page=54 |isbn=9781476646930}}</ref> She also appeared at a [[Delta Gamma]] gathering in 1957, where she sang and greeted guests.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Starkey |first=Bette |date=Winter 1957 |title=Highlights |volume=74 |issue=2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BEz4dmp-zy0C&pg=PA20 |magazine=The Anchora of Delta Gamma  |location=Columbus, Ohio |access-date=December 31, 2022 |publisher=[[Delta Gamma]] fraternity |pages=17–20 }}</ref> She is known for her cover of a French song, "[[Let It Be Me (The Everly Brothers song)|Let It Be Me]]", in 1957 for Columbia Records<ref>{{cite book |last1=Leszczak |first1=Bob |date=2014 |title=Who Did It First?: Great Pop Cover Songs and Their Original Artists |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-dAKzGzfeOgC |location=New York |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |pages=122–123 |isbn=9781442230682}}</ref> and her 1956 song, ''Egghead'', which focuses on "failed masculinity" of an [[egghead]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lecklider |first1=Aaron |date=2013 |title=Inventing the Egghead: The Battle over Brainpower in American Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yoxvqh2DvtoC&pg=PA204 |location=[[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] |publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania Press]] |page=204 |isbn=9780812207811}}</ref> In 1959 she starred in a feature-length musical film for [[Columbia Pictures]], entitled ''Senior Prom'', which was co-produced by [[Moe Howard]] of [[The Three Stooges]].<ref name="jillcoreycollection" />

A two-CD compilation of her complete singles was released in June 2015 by Jasmin Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jasmine-records.co.uk/acatalog/jascd-817.html|title=COREY, Jill - Love Me To Pieces - The Complete Singles|website=Jasmine Records|language=en|access-date=December 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323170332/http://www.jasmine-records.co.uk/acatalog/jascd-817.html|archive-date=March 23, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Corey suspended her career<ref group=note>Whether she suspended her career might be questioned in light of the United Press International story about the wedding, which said, "The newlyweds will honeymoon in Hot Springs, Ark., and Bermuda where Miss Corey has singing engagements."</ref><ref name=wdt/> to marry [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] [[third baseman]] [[Don Hoak]] on December 28, 1961, in Pittsburgh.<ref name="wdt">{{cite news|title=Hoak's Bride Is Tardy for Wedding|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11650875/the_weirton_daily_times/|work=The Weirton Daily Times|agency=United Press International|date=December 28, 1961|location=West Virginia, Weirton|page=12|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = June 12, 2017}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Morris |first1=Jack V. |date=2013 |chapter=Don Hoak |title=The Year of the Blue Snow: The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies |editor-last1=Marmer |editor-first1=Mel |editor-last2=Nowlin |editor-first2=Bill |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=udYAAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA128 |location=Phoenix, Arizona |publisher=SABR, Inc. |pages=128 |isbn=9781933599526}}</ref> They had a daughter, Clare. Hoak died of a heart attack at age 41 after they had been married eight years.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Morris |first1=Jack V. |date=2013 |chapter=Don Hoak |title=The Year of the Blue Snow: The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies |editor-last1=Marmer |editor-first1=Mel |editor-last2=Nowlin |editor-first2=Bill |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=udYAAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA129 |location=Phoenix, Arizona |publisher=SABR, Inc. |pages=129–130 |isbn=9781933599526}}</ref> She then resumed her career in [[New York City]].<ref name="jillcoreycollection">{{cite web|url=http://www.azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/uoa/UAMS476.xml|title=Jill Corey Collection 1953-2004 (bulk 1953-1989)|website=Arizona Archives Online|via=[[University of Arizona Libraries]]|access-date=December 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516184207/http://www.azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/uoa/UAMS476.xml|archive-date=May 16, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the death of Hoak, she starred in plays on and off [[Broadway Theatre (53rd Street)|Broadway]] including ''[[Annie Get Your Gun (musical)|Annie Get Your Gun]]'', ''[[Sweet Charity]]'', and played to a sold out crowd at [[Carnegie Hall]] in 1989.<ref name="jillcoreycollection" />

An [[Associated Press]] article published in February 1973 pointed out the difficulties that Corey faced in attempting a comeback. "Today I don't know how to audition, how to get people interested in booking me," she said.<ref name="bs">{{cite news|title=Former 'Hit Parader' Finds Comeback 'Not So Grand'|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11652013/the_baytown_sun/|work=The Baytown Sun|agency=Associated Press|date=February 8, 1973|location=Texas, Baytown|page=12|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = June 12, 2017}} {{Open access}}</ref> Determined to succeed, she said, "Somehow, I'm going to find a way to tell people I'm back, and that I want to sing."<ref name=bs/>

===Death===
Corey died on April 3, 2021, from [[septic shock]]<ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 2022 |page=44 |title=Jill Corey, 85 |magazine=Classic Images}}</ref> in Shadyside Hospital, [[Shadyside (Pittsburgh)]], Pennsylvania, at age 85.<ref name="obit"/><ref name="broadwayworld">{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Singer-Jill-Corey-Dies-at-85-20210417|last=Wild|first=Stephi|title=Singer Jill Corey Dies at 85|website=Broadway World|date=April 17, 2021|access-date=December 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506123530/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Singer-Jill-Corey-Dies-at-85-20210417|archive-date=May 6, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Discography==

===Singles===
{{col-start}}
{{col-break}}
*Robe of Calvary
*Minneapolis
*Cleo and Meo (with [[the Four Lads]])
*Do You Know What Lips Are For? (with [[the Four Lads]])
*A Good Night Kiss Is a Good Night's Work (with [[Percy Faith]])
*One God
*He Is a Man (with [[Percy Faith]])
*Where Are You? (with [[Percy Faith]])
*Number One Boy . .
*I'm Not at All in Love
*Edward
*That's All I Need
*Come to Me for Everything
*Look Look (with [[Ray Conniff]])
*Ching-Ching-a-Ling
*Nobody's Heart (with [[Ray Conniff]])
*[[Cry Me a River (1953 song)|Cry Me a River]] ''(bigger hit for [[Julie London]])''
{{col-break}}
*First Love (with [[Buddy Cole (musician)|Buddy Cole]])
*Wait for Tomorrow (with [[Buddy Cole (musician)|Buddy Cole]])
*Summer Night
*Your Prayers Are Always Answered
*Let Him Know
*What Am I to Do?
*I Love My Baby (My Baby Loves Me) (US #28, 1957) 
*Egghead
*[[Let It Be Me (The Everly Brothers song)|Let It Be Me]] (US #57, 1957) 
*Make Like a Bunny, Honey (US #95, 1957) 
*[[Love Me to Pieces]] ''(her biggest hit)'' (US #18, 1957) 
*Love
*I Feel Pretty
*How Can I Tell?
*[[Exactly Like You (song)|Exactly Like You]]
*I Told a Lie to My Darlin'
*Give It All You've Got
{{col-break}}
*Uh Huh, Oh Yeah
*Sweet Sugar Lips
*Loveable
*Big Daddy (US #96, 1958) 
*Wherefore Art Thou, Romeo?
*My Reverie 1958
*[[I Found a New Baby]] 1958
*Love Will Find Out the Way
*Dream Boy . .
*[[Have I Told You Lately that I Love You? (1945 song)|Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?]]
*The President Song
*[[Seems Like Old Times (song)|Seems Like Old Times]]
*I Can't Hide a Mountain
*[[Have You Ever Been Lonely?]]
*I Gotta Have My Baby Back
*Lonely Life
*One Boy
*Ten Gallon Hat/Stick 'Em Up, Stuck up!
{{col-end}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://jillcorey.net/ Official website]
*{{IMDb name|id=0179788|name=Jill Corey}}
*[https://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/collections/jill-corey-collection Jill Corey Collection at University of Arizona Libraries]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corey, Jill}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American women pop singers]]
[[Category:American musical theatre actresses]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Columbia Records artists]]
[[Category:Traditional pop music singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]