Caterina Valente

Caterina Valente (born 14 January 1931) is a born Italian, naturalized French multilingual singer, guitarist and dancer. She speaks six languages and sings in eleven. While she is best known as a performer in Europe, Valente spent part of her career in the United States, where she performed alongside Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Perry Como, and Ella Fitzgerald, among others.
Career
She was born in Paris to Italian parents Giuseppe and Maria Valente. In 1955, she was featured on The Colgate Comedy Hour with Gordon MacRae. In 1958, she filmed the musical comedy Hier bin ich – hier bleib ich (Here I Am, Here I Stay) which featured a guest appearance by Bill Haley & His Comets. During Haley's segment, Valente sang a duet with Haley on a newly recorded version of his song "Vive la Rock and Roll".
Her brother—Italian musician, singer and film actor (1927–2000)—performed with her, sang many duets, danced, and played the clarinet in the shadow of his famous sister.
In Germany, she was a major performer of Schlager music. There, she recorded Cole Porter's I Love Paris under the German title Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe, which sold more than 900,000 copies from its release in November 1954 to December 1958, according to Der Spiegel's report of January 1959. By a report from 1978, Valente's single The Breeze and I has sold more than 1,000,000 copies,
making it her best-selling record. Both songs were published by the German Polydor label; their success made Valente a star. At the end of 1958, this collaboration was terminated and she changed to Teldec Telefunken-Decca Schallplatten GmbH.
In the same year, 1959, she was nominated for a Grammy Award.
In the mid-1960s, Valente worked with Claus Ogerman and recorded material in both Italian and English that he arranged/conducted and/or composed on the Decca and London labels. Valente was a favorite of singer Perry Como, making eight guest appearances on his NBC Kraft Music Hall television program from 1961 to 1966. In 1964–65, she was co-host (with Carol Burnett and initially Bob Newhart) of The Entertainers , a CBS variety show for which she was awarded the recognition of best female vocalist on American TV . . She was a frequent guest on The Dean Martin Show.
Valente also made three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Over the years, she has recorded or performed with many international stars, including Count Basie,
Louis Armstrong,
Chet Baker,
Perry Como,
Ella Fitzgerald,
Benny Goodman,
Woody Herman,
Claus Ogerman,
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra,
Sy Oliver,
Buddy Rich
and Edmundo Ros
In 1970 she appeared in the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium singing Before the Parade Passes By and The Breeze and I.
A briglia sciolta, the Italian jazz CD recorded in 1989 and re-released in later years under the titles Fantastica and Platinum deluxe, was her best-selling CD worldwide. In 2001, she released a new album, Girltalk, with harpist Catherine Michel. She retired in 2003.
In 2019 her hit song from 1959, Bongo cha cha cha was included in the soundtrack of Spider-Man: Far from Home, directed by Jon Watts, becoming viral and risen to new popularity.
In 2021 the song went viral on social media platform TikTok, thanks to its use for a trend that has collected over 250 million views, started from Latin countries and South America, and then popularized also in Italy and Germany.
Selected album discography
United States
The Hi-Fi Nightingale, 1956 (Decca DL 8203)
Olé Caterina, 1957 (Decca DL-8436)
Plenty Valente!, 1957 (Decca DL 8440)
A Toast to the Girls (Decca DL 8755)
Schlagerparade (Decca DL 8852)
More Schlagerparade (Decca DL 4035)
À la Carte – Caterina Valente Sings in French (Decca DL 4050)
Arriba!, 1959 (Decca DL 4051)
The Greatest... in Any Language! (Decca DL 4052)
Golden Favorites (Decca DL-4504)
Rendezvous with Caterina (Decca)
Fire & Frenzy – Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros Orchestra, 1960 (London SW 99019)
Classics with a Chaser, 1960 (RCA Victor LPM-2119)
Super-Fonics (RCA LSP-2241)
Great Continental Hits, 1962. Decca
South of the Border, 1963. London
Valente in Swingtime, 1963. Teldec
Songs I've Sung on the Perry Como Show, 1963. London
Caterina Valente's Greatest Hits, 1965. Decca
The Intimate Valente, 1966. Decca
Strictly U.S.A. (London LL 3307)
I Happen to Like New York (London LL 3362)
Valente & Violins, 1964 (London 3363)
Sweet Beat (London PS 536)
Silk 'N' Latin – Caterina Valente with Edmundo Ros & His Orchestra, 1969
Love, 1972. (London Phase 4), Stereo
Brazil
Serenata d'Amore
A Poliglota da Canção
Caterina - A Cosmopolita, Polydor 46065
Caterina Valente com Edmundo Ros
Peru
Caterina Cherie, Polydor 46310
Argentina
Una Cita Con Caterina Valente (A Date With Caterina Valente), Polydor 24011, 10 inch LP
Olé, Caterina! (Polydor 25019)
Un Brindis para las Muchachas (Polydor 25048)
Bueno... Clásico... y Popular! (Classics with a Chaser) (RCA Victor LPM-2119)
Classics with a Chaser (RCA Victor LPM-2119)
Colombia
Cosmopolitan Lady (Polydor 46065)
A Toast To The Girls (Polydor 46074)
United Kingdom
Great Continental Hits, 1962. Decca LK 4508
Valente In Swingtime, 1963. Decca SKL 4537
I Happen to Like New York, 1964. Decca LK 4630
Caterina Valente's Greatest Hits, 1965. Decca LK 4737
Nothing But Aces – Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros, 1969. Decca PFS.4157
The World of Caterina Valente, 1971. Decca SPA 192
Australia
I Happen to Like New York, World Record Club S/4384, 196?
Great Continental Hits, World Record Club, 1967
The Best of Caterina Valente, SUMMIT Karussell SRA 250–548 (on the cover)/2430 032 (on the label)
Germany
Plenty Valente!, 1957. Polydor LPHM 43.037A Date With Caterina Valente, Polydor 45 517Olé Caterina!, Polydor 46 029 LPHMWeltschlager mit Caterina Valente, 1959. Polydor Sonderauflage Bertelsmann J 53503, 10 inch LPIhre großen ErfolgeKonzert für Frack und Petticoat – Classics with a Chaser, RCA LSP-2119Super-Fonics, RCA LSP-2241Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Latein Amerikanische Rhythmen, DECCA BLK 16184-PCaterina in Italia, Decca BLK 16211-PCaterina on Tour, Decca BLK 16213-PCaterina Valente & Silvio Francesco: Deutsche Evergreens, Decca SLK 16 189 PPariser Chic, Pariser Charme, Decca SLK 16266 PI Happen to Like New York, Decca SLK 16 290Wenn es Nacht wird in den Städten, 1965. Decca SLK 16 345Portrait in Music, Decca SLK 16 420-PHappy Caterina, Decca SLK 16485-PDie großen Erfolge (Decca ND 103, Stereo)Schlager, Lieder & Chansons, Decca ND 182Schlager, Lieder & Chansons 2, Decca ND 557Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Olé Mambo, 1969. Decca 79 505Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Latin together, Decca SLK 16849-PIch wär so gern bei Dir, Decca 6.22003The Best Of Caterina Valente, Polydor 184047Tanz mit Catrin, HÖR ZU TELDEC HZT 514
Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe - Caterina Valente singt ihre Welterfolge, 1970.
Bonjour Kathrin – Caterina Valente präsentiert ihre größten Erfolge, 1965Bonjour Kathrin, Karussell 635 106
Japan
Cosmopolitan Lady, 10 inch LP
Caterina Latin Album, 1963
De Luxe Latin Album, 1966
South Africa
Latein Amerikanische Rhythmen, 1960
Du bist Musik, 1956 (45106 LPH – Polydor Sternchen)
Selected filmography
The Big Star Parade (1954)
Ball at the Savoy (1955)
Love, Dance and a Thousand Songs (1955)
(1956)
Bonjour Kathrin (1956)
The Simple Girl (1957)
(1958)
Here I Am, Here I Stay (1959)
(1959)
Snow White and the Seven Jugglers (1962)
Awards
(Incomplete list'')
1961: Bravo Otto, "Female singers" Gold (also 1960, 1962 and 1963 in Silver)
1964: "Europremio" European TV Award, Venice, Italy
1965: "O Globo" Award for Best Foreign Singer of Latin American music, Brazil
1965: "FAME Award", USA
1968: Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse ("1st Class Cross of Merit"), Germany
1972: "Officier de l'éducation artistique" Officer of Artistic Education, Paris, France
1986: "Großes Bundesverdienstkreuz der Bundesrepublik Deutschland" Grand Cross of Merit, Germany
1966: Goldene Kamera, Germany
1990: Bambi, Germany
1991: Goldene Europa "Lifetime-Award", Saarbrücken, Germany
1995: Bambi "Lifetime-Award", Germany
1998: Platin Romy Lifetime Award, Austria
2002: Echo, "Lifetime-Award" Germany
2004: "Premio GABARDI", Lifetime Milano, Italy
2005: Honorary Bambi, Germany
2022: Dancers over 40 Legacy Award, USA
References
External links
Caterina Valente recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
Discography
Photographs and literature
1931 births
Living people
French women singers
English-language singers from France
German-language singers
RCA Victor artists
Polydor Records artists
Decca Records artists
Schlager musicians
Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Singers from Paris
French guitarists
French women guitarists
French people of Italian descent