St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-12-26
Eeksfine Vaughn
Win Music Polls
OF Down Beer

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CHCAGO-(ANP)-Billy Eek
slime and Sarah Vaughn were
strong reporters as favorite male
and female vocalists this year in
the annual Down Beat band maya.
zine poll.
With Stan Kenton capturing
first place for his third consecu-
tive year, Eckstine was swept into
the favorite vocalist slot for his
fifth straight year, and Sarah
Vaughn for her sixth.
The Mills Brothers out distanced
all other favorite vocal groups TO
win top honors, over such quartets
as the Ames Brothers, The Billy
williams Quartet, which placed
fourth to the Four Aces and the
Modernaires; Nat king" Cole
ranged second as male singer, fol-
lowed closely by Frank sinatra,
Perry Como and Bing Crosby.
Ella Fitzgerald placed second
only TO Sarah. Rosemary Clooney
whose singing style is similar to
Sarah Vaughns, ranked behind
Ella, followed by Patti Page and
Kay Starr.
For alto sax awards, Charlie
Parker raced far ahead Of his
closest rival, Art Pepper, Lee
Knoitz and Johnny Hodges.
Oscar Peterson ran rampant
over George Shearing for piano
honors with Enroll Garner and
Teddy Wilson placing fourth and
eighth respectively. Art Tatum,
Nat Cole, Duke Ellington and
Count Basic followed the pack.
On the baritone sax. Harry Car
ney won first place. Gene Krupa
retained his rating at top drum
mer followed closely by Shelly
Name and Louie Bellson.
Probably the toughest group of
entertainers fighting for top
honors came in the girl-singer de-
partment where the first eight
girls had vocal styling somewhat
similar.
Though Sarah Vaughn Outdis-
tanced her closest opponent by
more than It's votes, second
place Ella Fitzgerald ran rough
shod over third ranking Rosemary
ClOoney, whose styling Ia pattern
ed near Elias.
Sarah has a distinctive vocal
style with tremendous range abil-
lty which places her in q separate
category. Fitzgerald, though she
has an apparent unique style,
changes her pattern Of singing In
keeping pace with the time. She
does this better than any other
known female singer today.
In attempting to copy Sarah's
clear-cut commercial style, Rose
mary Clooney is a poor second,
and this has been recognized by
music fans throughout the ma
ton.
Patti Page deserved her fourth
place ranking because she intro
duced n relatively new method In
duAl.vocaIIzing and did n tremen-
dously fine job.
Fifth place Kay Starr Is always
favorite for her gravel-pitch de-
llverance of good jump, fast NOV
ing tunes, once In a while a torchy
ballad.
There is not much to say about
10 Stafford, sixth place winner.
because she Is to the female vocal
LIST what Bing Crosby is to the
males.
However. seventh place Billie
Holiday pOIled only la votes
while Jeri Southern followed
closely with lSs. This decision
could have gone either way with.
out much grippe as to who's the
best.
In place Of these last two las
sizes, Dinah Washington. Joni
James, Pearl Bailey, Teresa Brew
er could have done admirably we'll.
The popular record Of the year
awards went to 10 Stafford for
her Columbia discing of you Be-
long To Me-" and King Cole, who
placed second and third, with
Somewhere Along The Way" and
"Unforgettable,"