Lily Ann Carol

Photo of Lily Ann Carol

Little was written about vocalist Lily Ann Carol. Carol sang with Louis Prima’s orchestra from 1940 to 1946, when she left to begin a solo career. She finished sixth in the category of best female band singer in Down Beat’s 1944 and 1945 polls.

After going solo, Carol played the night club circuit. She recorded with Charlie Ventura’s band on the National label in late 1946. On August 4, 1946, she secretly married Morti Kaufman of Newark, New Jersey, while she was in Baltimore performing at the Hippodrome Theater. She did not announce the marriage to the press for three weeks. Kaufman was not involved in the music business.

In 1950, Carol recorded both under her own name and with Jimmy Saunders on the Signature label, and in 1951 she recorded solo on Prima’s Robin Hood label. In 1952, she signed with RCA, and in 1954 she recorded for the Bruce label. In 1957, she recorded for Mercury. During the 1960s, Carol worked a nightclub act with husband Joe Barone. She disappears from the public record beyond that.

Sources

  1. Simon, George T. The Big Bands. 4th ed. New York: Schirmer, 1981.
  2. “Prima on Wax as He Stages Real Comeback.” Down Beat 1 Oct. 1941: 23.
  3. “On the Stand: Louis Prima.” Billboard 27 Mar. 1942: 22.
  4. “Girl Singer (With Band).” Down Beat 1 Jan. 1945: 13.
  5. “Girl Singer (With Band).” Down Beat 1 Jan. 1946: 16.
  6. “In Short.” Billboard 22 Jun. 1946: 43.
  7. “Lilyann A Single But Married.” Down Beat 23 Sep. 1946: 4.
  8. “Diggin' the Discs.” Down Beat 15 Jan. 1947: 20.
  9. “Small World.” Billboard 19 Jul. 1947: 19.
  10. “Dancery, Name Ork Biz In Gotham Area Picking Up.” Down Beat 1 Dec. 1948: 1.
  11. “Fall Season Returns Old Philly Names.” Down Beat 21 Oct. 1949: 11.
  12. “Record Reviews.” Billboard 12 Aug. 1950: 36.
  13. “Record Reviews.” Billboard 12 May 1951: 31.
  14. “Victor Signs Two New Disk Artists.” Billboard 12 Apr. 1952: 18.
  15. “Music as Written.” Billboard 23 Oct. 1954: 20.
  16. “Record Reviews.” Billboard 16 Feb. 1957: 58.
  17. “Charles McHarry.” Reading Eagle [Reading, Pennsylvania] 17 Jun. 1966: 22.