Playbill - Happy Hunting - Ethel Merman , Fernando Lama

Jasmine Records (UK)

Mary Martin

Varese (Japan) ( January 28, 2003 ), Genre: Pop Vocal

This item comes with a certificate of authenticity from Hollywood Collectibles.

Broadway star Ethel Merman's voice was a mesmerizing force and her vitality was legendary, yet the popular perception of La Merm as the irrepressible wonder falls far short of all that she was and all that she meant to Americans over so many decades. This marvelously detailed biography is the first to tell the full story of how the stenographer from Queens, New York, became the queen of the Broadway musical in its golden age. Mining official and unofficial sources, including interviews with Merman's family and her personal scrapbooks, Caryl Flinn unearths new details of Merman's life and finds that behind the high-octane personality was a remarkably pragmatic woman who never lost sight of her roots.Brass Diva takes us from Merman's working-class beginnings through the extraordinary career that was launched in 1930 when, playing a secondary role in a Gershwin Brothers' show, she became an overnight sensation singing "I Got Rhythm." From there, we follow Merman's hits on Broadway, her uneven successes in Hollywood, and her afterlife as a beloved camp icon. This definitive work on the phenomenon that was Ethel Merman is also the first to thoroughly explore her robust influence on American popular culture.

Prism Leisure Corporation (UK)

Includes liner notes by Stephen Cole.Digitally remastered by Adrian Cosentini.Mermania! Vol. 1 is a collection of several medleys performed by Broadway sensation Ethel Merman. Despite the poor sound quality at times, this is a good selection of songs that showcase Merman's dramatic singing talents. At times her voice can start to warble, which can definitely put off some listeners. Also, some of the songs appear more than once in the context of the medleys, which only counts against the album because of the varying quality of some of these repeats. But to hear Merman performing these American standards is really quite nice, as she had a voice that was stamped with her charismatic personality. Overall, this is a solid album of songs that are quite familiar, performed by one of the most unique voices in showbiz. It may not be great, but it at least does justice to Merman's legacy as a singer. ~ Bradley Torreano

Sepia Records

Release Date: February 25, 2009

Frank Sinatra