Timi Yuro facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Timi Yuro
Timi Yuro in 1963
Background information
Birth name	Rosemary Victoria Yuro
Born	(1940-08-04)August 4, 1940 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	March 30, 2004(2004-03-30) (aged 63) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Genres	Blue-eyed soul, R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1961–1990s
Labels	Liberty, Mercury

Rosemary Victoria Yuro (born August 4, 1940 – died March 30, 2004) was an American singer. She was known by her stage name, Timi Yuro. People sometimes called her "the little girl with the big voice." She was one of the first singers to perform in the style known as blue-eyed soul. This means she was a white singer who sang in a soulful style, often linked to R&B music. Timi had a very deep and strong voice. One music expert said her voice was "deep, strong, almost masculine." They also noted her unique way of singing, which made her performances very powerful.

Early Life and Music

Timi Yuro was born in Chicago, Illinois, on August 4, 1940. Her family was Italian-American. When she was 12 years old, in 1952, Timi and her family moved to Los Angeles.

She started singing in her parents' Italian restaurant. Even though her parents didn't want her to, she also sang in local nightclubs. This is where a talent scout named Sonny Knight noticed her amazing voice.

Her Singing Career

Timi Yuro signed with Liberty Records in 1959. In 1961, she had a huge hit song called "Hurt." It reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard music chart. This song was an R&B ballad. Later that year, she recorded songs with another singer, Johnnie Ray.

She had a few more smaller hits, like "Smile." In 1962, she opened for the famous singer Frank Sinatra on his tour in Australia. Timi was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1962.

In 1962, Timi released another popular song, "What's a Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You?)." This song reached No. 12 on the Billboard pop chart. On both "Hurt" and "What's a Matter Baby," Timi showed a very emotional and elegant singing style. Many people in the early 1960s thought Timi Yuro was a black singer because her voice was so soulful.

In 1963, Liberty Records released her album Make the World Go Away. This album featured country and blues songs. Timi sang the title song, which later became a bigger hit for Eddy Arnold. She also sang a version of Willie Nelson's "Permanently Lonely." Timi was also known for singing popular American songs in her own soulful way. She toured Europe in 1963 and appeared on a British TV show called Ready Steady Go!.

By 1964, Timi Yuro moved to Mercury Records. Her first song for this label, "You Can Have Him," was her last song to enter the music charts. However, her album The Amazing Timi Yuro was a big success for her as an artist.

Timi appeared on TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand. In 1967, she was a guest star in a film in the Philippines. She was very popular in the Philippines at that time. By the late 1960s, Timi had performed in many places, from London to Las Vegas. She also sang at music contests in Italy. After she got married in 1969, she stopped making music for a while.

Later Career

In 1981, Timi Yuro tried to make a comeback in the Netherlands. She sang on Dutch national television. She re-recorded "Hurt," and this new version reached No. 5 on the Dutch pop charts. She also recorded a new album called All Alone Am I. This album went to No. 1 on the Dutch album charts and became a gold record. Because of this success, Timi moved to the Netherlands and continued to have hit songs and albums there.

After her record sales started to slow down in the mid-1980s, Timi returned to the United States. Her last recording was an album called Today in 1982. Her old friend Willie Nelson produced it. In 1990, she re-released the album as a CD, calling it Timi Yuro Sings Willie Nelson.

Illness and Passing

Timi Yuro faced health issues in the 1990s. She passed away in 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 63.

Her Influence on Music

Timi Yuro's music is loved in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. One of her most famous fans was probably Elvis Presley. He often watched her perform in Las Vegas in the late 1960s. Elvis even had a hit song with his own version of "Hurt" in 1976.

In 2004, the singer Morrissey announced Timi's death on his website. He called her his "favorite singer." Elkie Brooks also recorded a version of Timi's song "What's a Matter Baby." Timi was so impressed that she contacted Elkie, and they stayed in touch.

Timi's songs were also very popular in dance clubs in northern England in the 1970s and 1980s. DJs there played her songs "It'll Never Be Over for Me" and "What's a Matter Baby."

Her 1962 recording of "Satan Never Sleeps" was used as the theme song for a film with the same name. It was also used in a 2019 documentary film called Hail Satan?.

Discography

Albums

• Hurt!!!!!!! (Liberty Records 7208, 1961)
• Soul (Liberty Records 7212, 1962)
• Let Me Call You Sweetheart (Liberty Records 7234, 1962)
• What's a Matter Baby (Liberty Records 7263, 1963)
• The Best of Timi Yuro (Liberty Records 7286, 1963)
• Make the World Go Away (Liberty Records 7319, 1963)
• The Amazing Timi Yuro (Mercury Records 60963, 1964)
• Timi Yuro (Sunset Records 5107, 1966)
• Something Bad on My Mind (Liberty Records 7594, 1968)
• Live at PJ's (Liberty Records, 1969)
• The Very Best of Timi Yuro (Liberty Records LBR 1034) 1980
• All Alone Am I (Dureco Benelux 77.011, 1981)
• I'm Yours (Arcade, 1982)
• Today (Ariola, 1982)

CD Collections

• Hurt! The Best of Timi Yuro (Liberty Records, 1963 /EMI Records, 1992)
• Timi Yuro – 18 Heartbreaking Songs (Intermusic, 1993 – RMB 75061)
• Timi Yuro: The Lost Voice of Soul (RPM Records, 1993 – RPM-117)
• Timi Yuro: The Voice That Got Away (RPM Records, 1996 – RPM-167)
• The Amazing Timi Yuro: The Mercury Years (Spectrum Music – Universal International (UK), 2005 – 982-596-5)
• Timi Yuro: The Complete Liberty Singles (Real Gone Music, 2012 – RGM-0066)
• Timi Yuro: I'm a Star Now Rarities 1956–1982 (RPM RECORDS, 2014 – RPM-955)
• Timi Yuro: Hurt!/Live at PJs (Liberty Bell, 1986 – LST-7208, Italy, 2 lps on 1 cd)
• Timi Yuro: Something Bad on My Mind/The Unreleased Liberty Collection(Morello Records, 2015 – MRLLX-50)

Singles