Gogi Grant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gogi Grant
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Grant in 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg |
| Born | September 20, 1924 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 10, 2016 (aged 91) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, vocal jazz, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1950s–2016 |
| Labels | Era, RCA Victor |
Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg (born September 20, 1924 – died March 10, 2016) was an American pop singer. She was best known by her stage name, Gogi Grant. Her biggest hit was the song "The Wayward Wind" in 1956, which reached number one on the music charts.
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About Gogi Grant
Gogi Grant was a famous singer from the 1950s. She had a powerful voice and sang many popular songs. Her music was a mix of jazz and pop. She became very well-known for her hit song "The Wayward Wind."
Early Life and Start in Music
Gogi Grant was born Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the oldest of six children. Her parents were from Russia. When she was 12, her family moved to Los Angeles, California.
In Los Angeles, she went to Venice High School. She loved to sing and won a singing contest for teenagers. She also appeared on TV talent shows. Before becoming a full-time singer, she even worked selling cars in the early 1950s!
She started recording music in 1952. At first, she used the names "Audrey Brown" and "Audrey Grant." Later, a record company boss named Dave Kapp gave her the name "Gogi." He liked a restaurant called Gogi's LaRue.
Becoming a Star
In 1955, Gogi Grant signed with a small record company called Era Records. She quickly had her first big hit song, "Suddenly There's a Valley." This song made it into the top ten on the music charts.
The next year, she had an even bigger success. Her song "The Wayward Wind" became a number one hit in 1956. It stayed at the top of the Billboard chart for six weeks! The song sold over a million copies in the United States. It also reached number 9 in the UK. Because of her success, Billboard magazine voted her the most popular female singer. "The Wayward Wind" even returned to the charts in 1961.
Movies, Musicals, and Later Years
Gogi Grant also worked in movies and musicals. In 1957, she sang the songs for actress Ann Blyth in the movie The Helen Morgan Story. This film was about the life of singer Helen Morgan. The movie's soundtrack album was very popular.
In 1958, Gogi Grant starred in a movie called The Big Beat. This film featured many famous musicians of the time. She also sang in the first stereo recording of the classic musical Show Boat. She performed alongside Howard Keel and Anne Jeffreys. In 1959, she was also featured in a stereo recording of Kiss Me, Kate.
Gogi Grant continued to make albums and appear on TV in the 1960s. She stopped singing professionally in 1967. However, she later returned to performing. In 2004, when she was 80 years old, she sang "The Wayward Wind" on a TV show called Magic Moments. She continued to perform even when she was 89 years old in 2013.
Her Family and Legacy
In 1959, Gogi Grant married a lawyer named Robert Rifkind. They had two children, a son named Joshua Beckett and a daughter named Jeri Brown.
Gogi Grant passed away in Los Angeles on March 10, 2016. She was 91 years old. Her son announced her death. Gogi Grant is remembered for her beautiful voice and her lasting hit song, "The Wayward Wind."
Her Music Albums
Gogi Grant released many albums throughout her career. Here are some of them:
- Suddenly There's Gogi Grant (1957)
- The Helen Morgan Story (1958)
- Welcome to My Heart (1958)
- Torch Time (1958)
- Show Boat (with Howard Keel & Anne Jeffreys, 1958)
- Kiss Me Kate (with Howard Keel & Anne Jeffreys, 1959)
- Granted It's Gogi (1959)
- If You Want to Get to Heaven, Shout (1960)
- City Girl in the Country (1964)
- Gogi Grant (1968)
- The Way a Woman Feels (1970)
- With All My Heart (2009)
