Keely, born in Norfolk, Virginia, became famous for singing in her husband
Louis Prima's band. She met and began recording with Prima in 1949. They
married in 1953 (and divorced in 1960.)
Onstage, besides her singing ability, Keely was best known for her hilarious
deadpan expression and often appearing irritated at her husband's highly
animated antics. Her
obit in the New York Times
says, "Her coolness amid Mr. Prima’s chaos cemented them as one of Las
Vegas’s premier attractions and foreshadowed the style of Sonny & Cher
in the 1960s."
I never thought of Louie and Keely in terms of Sonny & Cher, but,
whatever ... Check out this 1960 clip from The Ed Sullivan Show.
I'm not sure where this performance was, but Prima & Smith's version of "That Old Black Magic" is one of their best-loved tunes.
Keely and Louie appeared in the Robert Mitchum 1958 classic Thunder Road. In this clip, Mitchum doesn't appreciate the loudmouth drunk whose obnoxious laughing nearly drowns out Keely's performance of "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey."
In the mid '60s she released Keely Smith Sings the John Lennon—Paul McCartney Songbook, a collection of Beatles tunes. Here's a swingin' version of "Please Please Me."
But this was her first solo hit, from 1957. Keely, wherever you are, we wish you love.
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