- Caterina Valente
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Caterina Valente, 1984
Caterina Valente (born 14 January 1931, Paris) is a singer, dancer, and actress. She was born into an Italian artist family; her father Giuseppe was a well-known accordion player, her mother, Maria Valente, a musical clown. She had three siblings, of whom Silvio Francesco was also active in show business.
Contents
Life and career
In 1952 she married the juggler Erik van Aro (Gerd Eric Horst Scholz). He recognized her talent and accompanied her in her initial years of worldwide success, although they later divorced. Their son is the singer Eric van Aro, Jr. In 1953, she made her first recordings with Kurt Edelhagen. Soon afterwards she achieved great success with songs such as "Malagueña", "The Breeze and I", and "Dreh dich nicht um" with the Werner Müller orchestra. In 1955 she was featured on the "Colgate Comedy Hour" with Gordon MacRae. In the mid 1960s, Valente worked with Claus Ogerman and recorded material in both Italian and English that he arranged/conducted and/or composed on the Decca [1] and London [2] labels. Between 1966 and 1972 she was a frequent guest on the Dean Martin Show. In 1972, she married the British pianist Roy Budd; they had a son, Alexander, but they divorced in 1979.
In Germany she was a major performer of Schlager music. There she recorded Cole Porter's I Love Paris under the German title Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe, which sold more than 500,000 copies in 1954.
Over the years, she has recorded or performed with many international stars, including Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Claus Ogerman, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Sy Oliver, Buddy Rich and Edmundo Ros. In 1959 she was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Valente was a principal, along with Carol Burnett and Bob Newhart, on the short-lived CBS variety series The Entertainers (1964–65).
A briglia sciolta, the Italian jazz CD recorded in 1989 and re-released in later years under the titles Fantastica and Platinum deluxe, is Valente’s best selling CD worldwide. In 2001, she released a new album, Girltalk, with harpist Catherine Michel.
Other information and film career
Valente is a true world citizen and a polyglot, having sung in twelve different languages. After her first musical successes, she acted in the movie Mannequins for Rio (1954) and has performed in fourteen additional films. She also plays the guitar and tap dances.
Awards (not complete)
- 1961 Bravo Otto Bravo Category „Female singers“ Gold (also 1960, 1962 and 1963 in Silver)
- 1964 "Europremio" European TV Award, Venice,Italy
- 1965 „O Globo“ (Brazil) best foreign singer of Latin American music
- 1965 "FAME Award" American TV Award, USA
- 1968 Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse "1st class cross of merit" Germany
- 1972 "Officier de l'éducation artistique" Officer of artistic education, Paris, France
- 1986 „Großes Bundesverdienstkreuz der Bundesrepublik Deutschland“ Grand cross of merit, Germany
- 1966 Goldene Kamera Germany
- 1990 Bambi Germany
- 1991 Goldene Europa „Lifetime-Award“ in Saarbrücken, Germany
- 1995 Bambi „Lifetime-Award“ Germany
- 1998 Platin Romy Lifetime Award, Austria
- 2002 Echo „Lifetime-Award“ Germany
- 2004 "Premio GABARDI" Lifetime Milano, Italy
- 2005 Bambi Honorary-Bambi Germany
Album discography (not complete)
United States
- The Hi-Fi Nightingale, 1956
- Olé Caterina, 1957, (Decca DL-8436)
- Plenty Valente!, 1957, (Decca DL 8440)
- A Toast To the Girls, (Decca DL 8755)
- Schlagerparade, (Decca DL 8852)
- More Schlagerparade, (Decca DL 4035)
- À La Carte - Caterina Valente Sings In French, (Decca DL 4050)
- Arriba!, 1959
- The Greatest... in Any Language!, (Decca DL 4052)
- Golden Favorites, (Decca DL-4504)
- Rendezvous with Caterina, (Decca)
- Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros Orchestra: Fire & Frenzy, 1960
- Classics with a Chaser, 1960, (RCA Victor LPM-2119)
- Super-Fonics, (RCA LSP-2241)
- Great Continental Hits, 1962. Decca
- South Of The Border, 1963.
- Valente In Swingtime, 1963. Teldec
- Caterina Valente's Greatest Hits, 1965. Decca
- The Intimate Valente, 1966. Decca
- Strictly U.S.A., (London LL 3307)
- Songs I've Sung on the Perry Como Show
- I Happen to Like New York, (London LL 3362)
- Valente & Violins, 1964. (London 3363)
- Sweet Beat, (London PS 536)
- Valente on T.V.
- Love, 1972. (London Phase 4), Stereo
Brazil
- Serenata d'Amore
- A Poliglota da Canção
- Caterina - A Cosmopolita, Polydor 46065
- Caterina Valente com Edmundo Ros
Peru
- Caterina Cherie, Polydor 46310
Argentina
- Una Cita Con Caterina Valente (A Date With Caterina Valente), Polydor 24011, 10 inch LP
- Olé, Caterina!, (Polydor 25019)
- Un Brindis para las Muchachas, (Polydor 25048)
- Bueno... Clásico... y Popular! (Classics with a Chaser), (RCA Victor LPM-2119)
- Classics with a Chaser, (RCA Victor LPM-2119)
Colombia
- Cosmopolitan Lady, (Polydor 46065)
- A Toast To The Girls, (Polydor 46074)
United Kingdom
- Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Nothing But Aces, Decca 4157
- Great Continental Hits, Decca LK 4508
- Valente In Swingtime, 1963. Decca SKL 4537
- I Happen to Like New York, Decca LK 4630
- Caterina Valente's Greatest Hits, 1965
- The World of Caterina Valente, 1971. Decca SPA 192
Australia
- I Happen to Like New York, World Record Club S/4384, 196?
- Great Continental Hits, World Record Club, 196?
- The Best of Caterina Valente, SUMMIT Karussell SRA 250-548 (on the cover)/2430 032 (on the label)
Germany
- Plenty Valente!, 1957. Polydor LPHM 43.037
- A Date With Caterina Valente, Polydor 45 517
- Olé Caterina!, Polydor 46 029 LPHM
- Weltschlager mit Caterina Valente, 1959. Polydor Sonderauflage Bertelsmann J 53503, 10 inch LP
- Ihre großen Erfolge
- Konzert für Frack und Petticoat - Classics with a Chaser, RCA LSP-2119
- Super-Fonics, RCA LSP-2241
- Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Latein Amerikanische Rhythmen, DECCA BLK 16184-P
- Caterina in Italia, Decca BLK 16211-P
- Caterina on Tour, Decca BLK 16213-P
- Caterina Valente & Silvio Francesco: Deutsche Evergreens, Decca SLK 16 189 P
- Pariser Chic, Pariser Charme, Decca SLK 16266 P
- I Happen to Like New York, Decca SLK 16 290
- Wenn es Nacht wird in den Städten, 1965. Decca SLK 16 345
- Portrait in Music, Decca SLK 16 420-P
- Happy Caterina, Decca SLK 16485-P
- Die großen Erfolge (Decca ND 103, Stereo)
- Schlager, Lieder & Chansons, Decca ND 182
- Schlager, Lieder & Chansons 2, Decca ND 557
- Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Olé Mambo, 1969. Decca 79 505
- Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Latin together, Decca SLK 16849-P
- Ich wär' so gern bei Dir, Decca 6.22003
- The Best Of Caterina Valente, Polydor 184047
- Tanz mit Catrin, HÖR ZU TELDEC HZT 514
- Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe - Caterina Valente singt ihre Welterfolge, 1970.
- Bonjour Kathrin, 1965
- Bonjour Kathrin, Karussell 635 106
Japan
- Cosmopolitan Lady, 10 inch LP
- Caterina Latin Album, 1963
- De Luxe Latin Album, 1966
South Africa
- Latein Amerikanische Rhythmen, 1960
- Du bist Musik, 1956 (45106 LPH - Polydor Sternchen)
References
External links
Categories:- 1931 births
- Living people
- Italian female singers
- RCA Victor artists
- Schlager
- Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
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