Connie Haines, 1922-2008
September 28th, 2008
With the death of singer Connie Haines coming so soon after the passing of the extraordinary Jo Stafford, we are getting very close indeed to the end of the Big Band era. Like Doris Day, Haines got her start when she was only sixteen. Sharing the Tommy Dorsey spotlight with Jo didn’t sit well with Connie, as recounted in the Washington Post.
In her three years with Dorsey, Ms. Haines made several solo recordings, and she bristled a little when Jo Stafford, who died in July, was recalled as Dorsey’s “girl vocalist” during the time Ms. Haines was with the band. Ms. Haines would remind people that Stafford arrived in the band as a member of the Pied Pipers when Ms. Haines was the featured vocalist. Stafford emerged as a soloist later.
A well-known recording of Haines singing with Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey band is “Oh, Look at me Now”.
Filed under: Jo Stafford, Music
4 Comments Add your own
1. Joan Stringer | September 29th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
It’s sad we’re losing so many people from the big band era and entertainers from the 40’s-70’s. Paul Newman just passed away as well.
2. DOuG pRATt | September 29th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
I figured Paul Newman would get lots of coverage, and Connie Haines had a hook back to Jo Stafford, so I featured her.
My mother knew Paul Newman for a while, but not in her acting days. He was a customer of hers when she was working as a floral designer in Connecticut. The actor my mother knew very well was Ernie — Ernest Borgnine. Jeanie Beanie has the whole story. When she writes it up I’ll post it.
3. jeaniebeanie | September 30th, 2008 at 7:13 am
I don’t remember Mom saying she met Paul, just Bette Davis. Strange. Ernie is having knee surgery on November 4, Election Day! I no longer correspond with his secretary because she was beginning to sound a little annoyed!
4. Joan Stringer | September 30th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Hi! In the local West Chester, PA newspaper was an article about Ernest Borgnine being in West Chester quite often due to his wife Tova being on QVC. They interviewed a cashier at a Wawa convenience store who has gotten to know Ernest and his wife pretty well. He seems like he’s a down-to-earth guy. It would be cool to be in town and meet him. A native of West Chester who has stayed in the area, to some of his neighbor’s chagrin is pro skateboarder Bam Margera, who has been on many MTV shows including 2 of his own. I like Bam even though he and his friends are Looney Tunes. Some of the stuff they do is so asinine it’s funny. It’s nice to see West Chester landmarks on his show.
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