Song:Little Things Mean A Lot
Album:Little Things Mean A Lot
Kitty Kallen was a very popular big band singer in the 40s. She went solo in the 50s and had a number one hit with Little Things Mean A Lot in 1954. She was born May 25, 1922 in Philadelphia She won talent contests as a child. She had a talent for mimicking popular singers of the day. As a teen, she had her own radio show in Philadelphia and sang with Jan Savitt and Artie Shaw. Her first full time job was in Jack Teagarden's band in 1940. She married clarinetist Clint Garvin and after Teagarden fired him, she left the band. That marriage was annulled. Kitty's big break was replacing Helen O'Connell in Jimmy Dorsey's band in 1943. She sang a duet with Bob Eberly on Dorsey's 1944 number one hit Besame Mucho. When Eberly went into the service, she joined Harry James' band. She sang on two number one hits for the James band, I'm Beginning To See The Light and It's Been A Long, Long Time. As the big bands faded in the late 40s, Kitty recorded solo without much success until she signed with Decca Records in 1953. Little Things Mean A Lot topped the pop charts in 1954 and was voted the most popular song of the year. Kitty also won polls in Billboard and Variety. Little Things Mean A Lot was written by Edith Lindeman and Carl Stutz. Stutz was a DJ in Richmond, VA. Joni James' cover reached the top 40 in 1960 and Margo Smith had a top five country music hit with the song in 1978. Kitty's 1954 follow up single Chapel In The Moonlight reached #4. You can get all her hits on this 2CD comp from Jasmine Records. Then Kitty Kallen lost her voice. She developed a lung problem due to an erroneous prescription. She attempted to return with Columbia and RCA but poor health forced her into retirement in 1963. Her 1963 album My Coloring Book actually did well. For years Kitty was married to publicist Budd Granoff. And despite reports of her death (it was the death of an imposter), Kitty Kallen is still alive and kicking at age 89. Here's a video for Little Things Mean A Lot by Kitty Kallen.
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