Dolores - Dolores Hawkins

Goodnight My Love

Dolores
Dolores Hawkins
Epic LN 3250
1956

From the back cover: This toothsome singer was born in the heart of the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, and got an unusually early start on the way toward stardom. When she was only five, she began chirping on many of the radio shows of the time that featured children. Among them were the Horn and Hardart Hour, several of Nick Kenny's enterprises, and somewhat later the Coast-to-Coast-on-a-Bus show under the direction of Madge Tucker. Piping away on such programs, Dolores picked up that rudiments of showmanship as she grew up and was ready for her career when the call came.

She remained with the radio programs until she was seventeen, when, a child no longer, she began working with various society dance orchestras around New York, giving a vocal lift to the round of business-men's bouncers and rhumbas that made up the program. One night, when she was singing for one of those orchestras, she was heard by Gene Krupa, who asked her to join his orchestra as featured vocalist. At almost the same time, she had similar offers from Sammy Kaye, Woody Herman, Blue Barron and Benny Goodman.

Throwing in her lot with Kruppa, she soon found she had made a splendid choice. Despite the hardships of one-night stands on tour with the orchestra (on-the-run meals, draughty auditoriums and dance-hall and the like) she consolidated her knowledge of show business and developed her singing style into the distinctive delivery that first made her stand out from other vocalists. With the great variety of audiences, plus the solid musical values of the Krupa outfit, she was soon singing to enormous applause. Around this time she recorded Bop Boogie with Gene and the band, a number that Krupa himself selected as one of her stepping-stones to success, and found herself becoming famous.

Deciding to leave the orchestra and go out as a single, she began making appearances on television shows and was soon signed by Epic Records. Then she developed a striking night-club act, and overnight won rave notices, not only from the public and critics, but from club operators as well. From that time on, Delores has been one of the ranking stars among vocalists, a girl who understands instinctively what should be done with a song, and who, moreover, has the voice to do it with, in addition to her looks.

From Billboard - October 13, 1956: The thrush embarks on a tour of a dozen tunes of a slightly touchy nature. Gal has a carefully practiced style which gets over warmly on these selections. Backing too, is just right, with a small rhythm group furnishing just the right spotlight for the vocalizing. Tunes include "Lover Man," "Just Squeeze Me," " No Love, No Nuthin'," etc. Cover has sex appeal aplenty.

I've Got My Eyes On You
Lover Man
Dream Of You
I'm In The Mood For Love
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
No Love, No Nothin'
Baby Won't You Please Come Home
The Man I Love
Just Squeeze Me
Good Lovin'
I Must Have That Man
Goodnight My Love