Vikki Carr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vikki Carr
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Vikki Carr in 1974
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martínez Cardona |
| Born | July 19, 1940 El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1962–present |
| Labels | |
Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martínez Cardona (born July 19, 1940), known as Vikki Carr, is an American singer. She has been singing for over fifty years. Vikki Carr was born in El Paso, Texas. Her parents were from Mexico. She has sung many types of music, like pop, jazz, and country. Her most famous songs are in Spanish. In 1971, she started the Vikki Carr Scholarship Foundation. Vikki Carr has won three Grammys. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. This award was given at the 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
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Vikki Carr's Music Journey
Vikki Carr was born in El Paso, Texas, on July 19, 1940. She finished Rosemead High School in Rosemead, California, in 1958. In 1962, she signed with Liberty Records as "Vikki Carr." Her first popular song was "He's a Rebel" in 1962. It reached number 3 in Australia.
In 1966, Vikki Carr traveled to South Vietnam. She performed for American troops with actor Danny Kaye. The next year, her album It Must Be Him was nominated for three Grammy Awards. The song "It Must Be Him" became very popular. It reached number 3 on the Billboard chart in 1967. Over one million copies were sold, earning it a gold disc.
Top Songs and TV Appearances
Vikki Carr had two more hit songs in the US. These were "The Lesson" in 1968 and "With Pen in Hand" in 1969. Famous singer Dean Martin called her "the best girl singer in the business." Overall, Vikki Carr had 10 hit songs and 13 albums on the US pop charts.
In 1968, Vikki Carr filmed six TV specials for London Weekend TV. She often appeared on TV shows. She was on ABC's The Bing Crosby Show in 1964–1965. She also appeared on The Carol Burnett Show in 1969. In 1970, the Los Angeles Times named her "Woman of the Year." She was a favorite of Johnny Carson. She appeared over 30 times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Sometimes, she even hosted the show.
Awards and Special Performances
Vikki Carr received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1981. She also sang for five different presidents. These were Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bill Clinton. She has recorded music with Latin stars like Vicente Fernandez and Pepe Aguilar. She was also friends with famous singers like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Vikki Carr became very successful in Latin music. She won Grammy Awards for her Spanish albums. She won for Best Mexican-American Performance in 1986 for Simplemente Mujer. She won Best Latin Pop Album in 1992 for Cosas del Amor. She also won Best Mexican-American Performance in 1995 for Recuerdo a Javier Solís.
Her many hit songs in Spanish include "Total," "Discúlpame," "Déjame," "Hay Otro en Tu Lugar," "Esos Hombres," "Mala Suerte," and "Cosas del Amor." "Cosas del Amor" was number 1 on the US Latin charts for over two months in 1991. Her Spanish albums have sold very well in Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ecuador. She also provided the voice for Georgette in the Latin American version of Disney's Oliver & Company.
In 1999, Vikki Carr filmed a PBS TV special. It was called Vikki Carr: Memories, Memorias. In this show, she sang popular songs in both English and Spanish from the 1940s and 1950s. Her guests were Arturo Sandoval and Jack Jones. In 2001, she released a Christmas album with songs in both languages.
In 2002, Vikki Carr performed in the musical Follies in Los Angeles. In 2008, she hosted a PBS TV special called Fiesta Mexicana. This show celebrated Mexican music and dance. Later that year, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Recording Academy. She performed "Cosas del Amor" with Olga Tañón and Jenni Rivera at the Latin Grammy telecast.
In 2014, Vikki Carr recorded with famous Latin rock musicians. She was featured on a new version of the song "Sabor A Mi." In August 2019, she performed at a benefit concert in El Paso. This concert helped the victims of the 2019 El Paso shooting.
Vikki Carr's Personal Life
Vikki Carr has been married three times. Her first husband was Dann Moss. Her second husband was Michael Nilsson. She was married to Dr. Pedro De Leon from 1993 until he passed away in 2019.
Giving Back: Charitable Work
Vikki Carr spends time helping many charities. These include the United Way, the American Lung Association, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. For 22 years, she hosted concerts to support Holy Cross of San Antonio Middle and High School.
In 1971, she started the Vikki Carr Scholarship Foundation. This foundation gives college scholarships to Hispanic students in California and Texas. Since 2018, the foundation has worked with the San Antonio Area Foundation. It has given out over 280 scholarships, totaling more than $250,000.
Images for kids
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Vikki Carr in 1974
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Vikki Carr in 1968
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Carr performing in the East Room of the White House in November 1974
See also
In Spanish: Vikki Carr para niños
