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Clarke Peters - Actor-Singer

06/05/2017 GMT

Up Close and Personal

BBC World Service - Music Extra, Up Close and Personal

The art of crooning and how Rudy Vallee, Al Bowlly and Bing Crosby ignited passions

Clarke Peters follows the croon and practitioners of the art including Rudy Vallee, Russ Columbo, Al Bowlly and Bing Crosby ignited passions.

Actor and singer Clarke Peters follows the croon and practitioners of the art, including Rudy Vallee, Russ Columbo, Al Bowlly and Bing Crosby. He discovers how their romantic style of singing made the ladies swoon but inflamed the critics.
 
In the '20s and '30s, electric microphones and amplifiers enabled singers with soft, untrained voices to finally be heard. Vocalists no longer needed to project - they could get closer and deliver heartfelt performances - just like whispering in a listener's ear. They became the Justin Biebers of their day - commercial stars whose radio shows and public performances ignited passions across the US.
 
Their flirtatious style was not to everyone's taste, however, and they were condemned by the Roman Catholic Church for leading women astray. The slushy, sentimental style of singing also did not go down well with the press who criticised the singers for their lack of artistic value... and the crooners' good looks and stylish clothes led to accusations of effeminacy - these guys just could not win.
 
Clarke Peters hears from Rudy Vallee's nephew about how his uncle regarded his own sex appeal - let's just say Rudy was not the bashful type. He also talks to Lenny Kaye, writer, and long time guitarist with the Patti Smith Group and fellow crooner devotee, about their place in American music history.

(Photo: Clarke Peters)

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