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Vikki Carr
Vikki Carr 1974.JPG
Vikki Carr in 1974
Background information
Birth name Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martínez Cardona
Born (1940-07-19) July 19, 1940 (age 84)
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • Guitar
Years active 1962–present
Labels

Vikki Carr is an American singer known for her powerful voice. Her real name is Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martínez Cardona. She was born on July 19, 1940. Vikki Carr has been singing for over 50 years!

She was born in El Paso, Texas, and her parents were from Mexico. Vikki Carr sings many types of music, like pop and jazz. But she is most famous for her songs in Spanish. She has won three Grammy Awards. In 2008, she received a special Lifetime Achievement Award at the Latin Grammy Awards. She also started a scholarship foundation in 1971 to help students go to college.

Vikki Carr's Singing Journey

Vikki Carr started her singing career in 1962. She signed with Liberty Records. Her first song to become popular 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 a huge hit. It sold over a million copies and reached number 3 on the US charts in 1967.

She had more hit songs like "The Lesson" in 1968 and "With Pen in Hand" in 1969. Famous singer Dean Martin even called her "the best girl singer in the business." Vikki Carr had 10 hit songs and 13 albums that made it onto the US pop charts.

Television Appearances and Honors

Vikki Carr was often on TV shows. She appeared on The Carol Burnett Show in 1969. She was also a favorite guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, appearing more than 30 times. Sometimes, she even hosted the show!

In 1970, the Los Angeles Times newspaper named her "Woman of the Year." In 1981, she received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. Vikki Carr has also sung for five different US presidents: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bill Clinton.

Success in Latin Music

In the 1980s and 1990s, Vikki Carr became very successful in Latin music. She won more Grammy Awards for her Spanish albums.

  • In 1986, she won for Simplemente Mujer.
  • In 1992, she won for Cosas del Amor.
  • In 1995, she won for Recuerdo a Javier Solís.

Her song "Cosas del Amor" was a number 1 hit on the US Latin charts in 1991. Her Spanish albums have sold so well that they earned gold and platinum awards in many countries. These include Mexico, Chile, and Puerto Rico. She also lent her voice to the character Georgette in the Latin American version of Disney's Oliver & Company.

Recent Work and Legacy

In 1999, Vikki Carr filmed a TV special for PBS. It was called Vikki Carr: Memories, Memorias. In this show, she sang popular songs in both English and Spanish.

In 2002, she performed in a musical called Follies in Los Angeles. In 2008, she hosted another PBS special, Fiesta Mexicana. This show celebrated Mexican music and dance. That same year, she received her Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Recording Academy. She performed "Cosas del Amor" at the Latin Grammy telecast with other singers.

In 2019, Vikki Carr sang at a special event in El Paso. This event helped victims of a shooting that happened there.

Helping Others

Vikki Carr cares a lot about helping people. She supports many charities, like the United Way and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. For 22 years, she held concerts to raise money for a school in San Antonio, Texas.

In 1971, she started the Vikki Carr Scholarship Foundation. This foundation gives money to Hispanic students. It helps them pay for college in California and Texas. Since 2018, the foundation has given out over 280 scholarships. This adds up to more than $250,000!

Personal Life

Vikki Carr has been married three times. Her last marriage was to Dr. Pedro De Leon from 1993 until he passed away in 2019.

Discography

Albums

Year Album US 200 US Latin UK
notes
1963 Color Her Great! - - -
1964 Discovery! 114 - -
Discovery Vol. II - - -
1965 Anatomy of Love - - - liner notes by Ethel Merman
1966 The Way of Today! - - 31
1967 Intimate Excitement - - -
It Must Be Him 12 - 12 UK release differs from US release
1968 Vikki! 63 - -
Don't Break My Pretty Balloon - - -
1969 For Once in My Life 29 - - live
1970 Nashville By Carr 111 - - recorded in Nashville
1971 The Ways to Love a Man - - -
Que Sea El - - -
Vikki Carr's Love Story 60 - -
Superstar 118 - -
1972 The Best Of Vikki Carr - - -
The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) 146 - - Song Sung Blue in UK
En Español 106 - -
1973 Ms. America 142 - -
Live at the Greek Theatre 172 - -
1974 One Hell of a Woman 155 - -
1975 Hoy 203 - -
1976 The Story of a Woman - - - live from Japan (JP release only)
1980 Y El Amor - - -
1981 El Retrato Del Amor - - -
1982 Vikki Carr - - -
1984 A Todos - - -
1985 Simplemente Mujer - - - No. 3 US Regional MX / No. 15 US Latin Pop
1986 Promesas - - -
Esta Noche Vendras - - -
OK Mr. Tango - - - with Mariano Mores
1987 Dos Corazones (with Vicente Fernández) - - - No. 2 US Regional MX
Me Enloqueces - - -
1988 Esos Hombres - - - No. 4 US Latin Pop
1990 Set Me Free - - - several songs from Esos Hombres sung in English
1991 Cosas del Amor - - - No. 1 US Latin Pop
1992 It Must Be Him – The Best of Vikki Carr - - -
1993 Brindo a La Vida, Al Bolero, A Ti - - -
1994 Recuerdo a Javier Solís - 35 - No. 10 US Latin Pop
1996 Emociones - - -
1998 Con el Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán - - -
1999 Memories, Memorias - - - from the PBS TV Special
2001 The Vikki Carr Christmas Album - - -
2012 Viva La Vida 49 - No. 16 US Latin Pop
2014 The First time ever + 9 Bonus track
Love again: The Lost Columbia Masters

Singles

1960s and 1970s

  • Years represent year of release, not necessarily the chart peak year.
Year Titles (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated
US 100 CB US AC UK
AUS Original Source
1962 "I'll Walk the Rest Of The Way"
b/w "Beside A Bridge (Along The River Tiber)"
- - - - - Non-album tracks
"He's A Rebel"
b/w "Be My Love"
115 102 - - 3
1963 "The Rose and Butterfly"
b/w "From Nine To Five"
- - - - -
"San Francisco"
b/w "Look Again"
- - - - - Color Her Great
"Medley: Poor Butterfly/Stay"
b/w "The Right Kind Of Man" (Non-album track)
- - - - - Discovery!
1964 "Forget You"
b/w "Her Little Heart Went To Loveland"
- - - - - It Must Be Him
1965 "Busca Ese Camino"
b/w "No Seas Asi"
- - - - - Non-album tracks
"The Color Of Love"
b/w "There Goes My Heart"
- - - - - Unforgettable
"Unforgettable"
b/w "Theme From Peyton Place"
- - - - -
"I Only Have Eyes For You"
b/w "None But The Lonely Heart"
- - - - - Anatomy Of Love
1966 "The Silencers"
b/w "Santiago" (from Unforgettable)
- - - - - Non-album track
"Heartaches"
b/w "True Love's A Blessing" (Non-album track)
- - - - - Anatomy Of Love
"My Heart Reminds Me"
b/w "Can I Trust You"
- 127 31 - - The Way Of Today!
"Summer Samba (So Nice)"
b/w "It Must Be Him" (from It Must Be Him)
- - 32 - - Unforgettable
"Until Today" / - - 39 - - Non-album track
"Now I Know The Feeling" - - 28 - - Unforgettable
1967 "Sunshine"
b/w "Fly Away" (Non-album track)
- - - - - The Very Best Of Vikki Carr
"There I Go"
b/w "One More Mountain" (from It Must Be Him)
UK release only
- - - 50 - Vikki!
"It Must Be Him"
b/w "That's All" (from That's All)
3 5 1 2 1 It Must Be Him
1968 "The Lesson"
b/w "One More Mountain" (from It Must Be Him)
34 35 1 - 44 Vikki!
"She'll Be There" / 99 92 13 - - Don't Break My Pretty Balloon
"Your Heart is Free Just Like the Wind" 91 - 32 - -
"Don't Break My Pretty Balloon"
b/w "Nothing To Lose"
114 103 7 - -
"A Dissatisfied Man"
b/w "Happy Together" (from For Once In My Life)
- - 18 - - The Ways To Love A Man
"With Pen In Hand" 35 42 6 39 - For Once In My Life
1969 "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" - - - - - It Must Be Him
"Eternity"
b/w "I Will Wait For Love" (Non-album track)
79 69 5 - - The Best Of Vikki Carr
1970 "Singing My Song"
b/w "Make It Rain"
- - 30 - - Nashville by Carr
"I'll Be Home"
b/w "Call My Heart Your Home"
96 117 7 - - Vikki Carr's Love Story
1971 "Six Weeks Every Summer (Christmas Every Other Year)"
b/w "If You Could Read My Mind"
- - 28 - -
"I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You"
b/w "I've Never Been A Woman Before" (from Vikki Carr's Love Story)
- 103 - - - Superstar
"I'd Do It All Again"
b/w "I'm Gonna Love You"
- 102 39 - -
1972 "The Big Hurt"
b/w "Cabaret" (from The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face))
108 - 31 - - Non-album track
"Grande, Grande, Grande"
b/w "Y Volvere"
- - - - - Los Exitos De Hoy Y De Siempre
"Let the Band Play On"
b/w "Reflections"
- - - - - Non-album tracks
1973 "Ms. America"
b/w "We Didn't Know The Time Of Day"
- - - - - Ms. America
"Leave A Little Room"
b/w "Have You Heard The News"
- - - - - Live At The Greek Theatre
1974 "Sleeping Between Two People"
b/w "Borrowed Time" (Non-album track)
- - - - - One Hell Of A Woman
"Wind Me Up"
b/w "One Hell of a Woman"
- - 45 - -
1975 "Hoy"
b/w "El Pajaro Herido"
- - - - - Hoy (Today)
"Puttin' Myself In Your Hands"
b/w "I Don't Want A Sometimes Man"
- - - - - Non-album tracks

1980s to the present

Year Song US Latin Original Source
1980 "Disculpame" - Y El Amor
"Abrazame" - Y El Amor
1981 "Total" - El Retrato del Amor
1982 "Todo Me Gusta de Ti" - Vikki Carr
1983 "Ya" - Vikki Carr
"Prefiero Amar un Extraño" - El Retrato del Amor
"Eso No" - El Retrato del Amor
1984 "Comprendeme" - A Todos
1985 "Ni Princesa Ni Esclava" - Simplemente Mujer
"Atrapame" - Simplemente Mujer
"Ni Me Viene Ni Me Va" - Simplemente Mujer
"Cantare, Cantaras" - Hermanos
1986 "Promesas" - Promesas
"Yo Creo en un Mundo de Amor" - OK Mr. Tango
"Esta Noche Vendras" 33 Esta Noche Vendras
"Tu Dicha, Tu Calma" - Esta Noche Vendras
"Asi es la Vida" - Esta Noche Vendras
1987 "Que No Que No" - Me Enloqueces
"Fallaste Corazon" - Me Enloqueces
"Me Parece Perfecto" - Me Enloqueces
"Dos Corazones" (duet with Vicente Fernández) 10 Dos Corazones
"Juntos los Dos" - Dos Corazones
1988 "Mala Suerte" 3 Esos Hombres
"Hay Otro en Tu Lugar" 14 Esos Hombres
"Esos Hombres" 37 Esos Hombres
1991 "Cosas del Amor" (duet with Ana Gabriel) 1 Cosas del Amor
"Me Estoy Volviendo Loca" - Cosas del Amor
"Con los Brazos Abiertos" - Cosas del Amor
1993 "Dejame" 30 Brindo a La Vida, Al Bolero, A Ti
"Nadie" - Brindo a La Vida, Al Bolero, A Ti
"Una Mujer" - Brindo a La Vida, Al Bolero, A Ti
1994 "Amaneci en Tus Brazos" - Recuerdo a Javier Solis
"Sombras" - Recuerdo a Javier Solis
"En Mi Viejo San Juan" - Recuerdo a Javier Solis
1996 "Emociones" - Emociones
"Que No Se Rompa la Noche" - Emociones
1998 "No Soy de Piedra" - Con El Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitan

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Vikki Carr para niños

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