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On this day, April 29, 1929, April Stevens was born.
April Stevens
Stevens in 1965
Background information
Birth name: Caroline Vincinette LoTempio
Born: April 29, 1929; Niagara Falls, New York, US
Died: April 17, 2023 (aged 93);Scottsdale, Arizona, US
Genres: Pop rock
Website: ninoandapril.com
April Stevens (born Carol Vincinette LoTempio; April 29, 1929 – April 17, 2023) was an American Grammy award-winning singer of traditional pop, best known for her collaborations with her younger brother, Nino Tempo, as Nino Tempo & April Stevens. Stevens was an inductee in the Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame.
Biography
Early life
Stevens was born in Niagara Falls, New York, as Caroline Vincinette LoTempio, to Samuel and Anna (Donia) Lo Tempio, both descended from Italian immigrants from Sicily.
Music career
Stevens began her recording career in 1951, aged twenty-two. Her most popular solo recording was her RCA Victor rendition of "I'm in Love Again", written by Cole Porter. Accompanied by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Henri René, the song peaked at number 6 on the pop charts in 1951. Her follow-up, "Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?", made it to number 10 later that year, and her next release, "And So to Sleep Again", hit #27.
Stevens returned to the US charts in 1959 with the song "Teach Me Tiger", which caused a minor uproar for its sexual suggestiveness and consequently did not receive airplay on many radio stations. The song peaked at No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Stevens was best known for her 1963 Atco recording of "Deep Purple" (music originally composed for piano by Peter DeRose and lyrics by Mitchell Parish) with her brother Antonino LoTempio (singing under the stage name Nino Tempo.
A standard song that Larry Clinton and His Orchestra and band vocalist Bea Wain had popularized in 1939, and Bing Crosby also had a hit recording with the Stevens and Tempo version reached No.1 on the Hot 100 on November 16, 1963, and No.17 in the British charts, it featured an appearance by Glen Campbell, who played as a session musician The song won the 1963 Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Recording. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a Gold disc.
They where never able to attain a further number 1, as there style of jazz-inflicted pop, gave way to the British invasion, most especially The Beatles.
{snip}
Stevens in 1965
Background information
Birth name: Caroline Vincinette LoTempio
Born: April 29, 1929; Niagara Falls, New York, US
Died: April 17, 2023 (aged 93);Scottsdale, Arizona, US
Genres: Pop rock
Website: ninoandapril.com
April Stevens (born Carol Vincinette LoTempio; April 29, 1929 – April 17, 2023) was an American Grammy award-winning singer of traditional pop, best known for her collaborations with her younger brother, Nino Tempo, as Nino Tempo & April Stevens. Stevens was an inductee in the Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame.
Biography
Early life
Stevens was born in Niagara Falls, New York, as Caroline Vincinette LoTempio, to Samuel and Anna (Donia) Lo Tempio, both descended from Italian immigrants from Sicily.
Music career
Stevens began her recording career in 1951, aged twenty-two. Her most popular solo recording was her RCA Victor rendition of "I'm in Love Again", written by Cole Porter. Accompanied by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Henri René, the song peaked at number 6 on the pop charts in 1951. Her follow-up, "Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?", made it to number 10 later that year, and her next release, "And So to Sleep Again", hit #27.
Stevens returned to the US charts in 1959 with the song "Teach Me Tiger", which caused a minor uproar for its sexual suggestiveness and consequently did not receive airplay on many radio stations. The song peaked at No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Stevens was best known for her 1963 Atco recording of "Deep Purple" (music originally composed for piano by Peter DeRose and lyrics by Mitchell Parish) with her brother Antonino LoTempio (singing under the stage name Nino Tempo.
A standard song that Larry Clinton and His Orchestra and band vocalist Bea Wain had popularized in 1939, and Bing Crosby also had a hit recording with the Stevens and Tempo version reached No.1 on the Hot 100 on November 16, 1963, and No.17 in the British charts, it featured an appearance by Glen Campbell, who played as a session musician The song won the 1963 Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Recording. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a Gold disc.
They where never able to attain a further number 1, as there style of jazz-inflicted pop, gave way to the British invasion, most especially The Beatles.
{snip}
Deep Purple (song)
"Deep Purple" was the biggest hit written by pianist Peter DeRose, who broadcast, 1923 to 1939, with May Singhi as "The Sweethearts of the Air" on the NBC radio network. "Deep Purple" was published in 1933 as a piano composition. The following year, Paul Whiteman had it scored for his suave "big band" orchestra that was "making a lady out of jazz" in Whiteman's phrase. "Deep Purple" became so popular in sheet music sales that Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1938.
{snip}
Nino Tempo & April Stevens and other 1960s versions
The second most popular version, which hit number one on the U.S. pop charts (the 100th song to do so) in November 1963 and also won that year's Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Record, was recorded by Nino Tempo & April Stevens (who are brother and sister). It remained in the Top 40 for twelve weeks and was #1 on the Hot 100 the week before John F. Kennedy was assassinated. This version of the song is notable for April Stevens' speaking the lyrics in a low and sweet voice during the second half of the song while her brother sings. According to the Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, when the duo first recorded the song as a demo, Tempo forgot the words, and Stevens spoke the lyrics to the song to remind him. The record's producers thought Stevens' spoken interludes were "cute" and should be included on the finished product, but according to Stevens, her brother was not as easily convinced: "He didn't want anyone talking while he was singing!"
{snip}
"Deep Purple" was the biggest hit written by pianist Peter DeRose, who broadcast, 1923 to 1939, with May Singhi as "The Sweethearts of the Air" on the NBC radio network. "Deep Purple" was published in 1933 as a piano composition. The following year, Paul Whiteman had it scored for his suave "big band" orchestra that was "making a lady out of jazz" in Whiteman's phrase. "Deep Purple" became so popular in sheet music sales that Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1938.
{snip}
Nino Tempo & April Stevens and other 1960s versions
The second most popular version, which hit number one on the U.S. pop charts (the 100th song to do so) in November 1963 and also won that year's Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Record, was recorded by Nino Tempo & April Stevens (who are brother and sister). It remained in the Top 40 for twelve weeks and was #1 on the Hot 100 the week before John F. Kennedy was assassinated. This version of the song is notable for April Stevens' speaking the lyrics in a low and sweet voice during the second half of the song while her brother sings. According to the Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, when the duo first recorded the song as a demo, Tempo forgot the words, and Stevens spoke the lyrics to the song to remind him. The record's producers thought Stevens' spoken interludes were "cute" and should be included on the finished product, but according to Stevens, her brother was not as easily convinced: "He didn't want anyone talking while he was singing!"
{snip}
Let's go with her big hit:
Nino Tempo & April Stevens - Deep Purple... (1966)
vintage video clips
71.5K subscribers
124,343 views Jul 31, 2018
Brother and Sister Nino Tempo and April Stevens performing
Deep Purple
Whispering
Something's Got A Hold On Me
Strangers In The Night
Baby Weemus
All Strung Out
vintage video clips
71.5K subscribers
124,343 views Jul 31, 2018
Brother and Sister Nino Tempo and April Stevens performing
Deep Purple
Whispering
Something's Got A Hold On Me
Strangers In The Night
Baby Weemus
All Strung Out
Sat Apr 29, 2023: On this day, April 29, 1929, April Stevens was born.
Mon Apr 29, 2019: She turns 90 today: April Stevens
