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Keely Smith

Dorothy Jacqueline Keely (March 9, 1928[1][note 1][2] – December 16, 2017), professionally known as Keely Smith, was an American jazz and popular music singer, who performed and recorded extensively in the 1950s with then-husband Louis Prima, and throughout the 1960s as a solo artist.[3]

This article is about the singer. For the actress also known as Keely Shaye Brosnan, see Keely Shaye Smith.

Keely Smith

Dorothy Jacqueline Keely

(1928-03-09)March 9, 1928
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.

December 16, 2017(2017-12-16) (aged 89)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.

Singer

1939-2017

Matteo Gambardella Jr.
(m. 1947; div. 1950)
(m. 1953; div. 1961)
; 2 children
(m. 1965; div. 1969)
Bobby Milano
(m. 1975; died 2006)

Smith married Prima in 1953. The couple were stars throughout the entertainment business, including stage, television, motion pictures, hit records, and cabaret acts. They won a Grammy in 1959, its inaugural year, for their smash hit, "That Old Black Magic", which remained on the charts for 18 weeks.[4]

Early years[edit]

Smith was born in Norfolk, Virginia; her ancestry was Irish and Cherokee.[5] Jesse Smith, her stepfather, was a carpenter, and her mother took in laundry to earn money to buy gowns for Smith to wear when she performed.[6]

Personal life[edit]

Smith first married Matteo Gambardella Jr. on September 6, 1947 in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, before divorcing him in December 1950.[11] Smith married Louis Prima July 13, 1953.[2] in Virginia Beach.[12] They had two children, Toni Elizabeth and Luanne Francis.[2] Smith had affairs with Sam Giancana and Frank Sinatra[13][14] prior to her divorce from Prima in 1961. She also had a relationship with Clint Eastwood.[15] She married Jimmy Bowen in 1965. The couple divorced in 1969.[16] In 1975, Smith married singer Bobby Milano (real name Charles Caci) in Palm Springs. Sinatra gave the bride away. Milano died in 2006. [17]


On December 16, 2017, Smith died of apparent heart failure in Palm Springs, California, at the age of 89.[4] She is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.[18]

Legacy[edit]

In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to her.[19] She also has a star at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard in the Recording section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated on September 22, 1998.[20]

1957 (Capitol)

I Wish You Love

1958 (Capitol)

Politely!

1959 (Capitol)

Swingin' Pretty

1959 Be My Love ()

Dot

1960 Swing, You Lovers (Dot)

1960 A Keely Christmas (Dot)

1961 Twist with Keely Smith (Dot)

1961 Dearly Beloved (Dot)

1962 Because You're Mine (Dot)

1962 What Kind of Fool Am I? (Dot)

1962 Cherokeely Swings (Dot)

1963 (Reprise)

Little Girl Blue/Little Girl New

1964 (Reprise)

The Intimate Keely Smith

1964 (Reprise)

Keely Smith Sings the John Lennon—Paul McCartney Songbook

1965 (Reprise)

That Old Black Magic

1985 I'm in Love Again ()

Fantasy

2000 Swing, Swing, Swing ()

Concord

2001 Keely Sings Sinatra (Concord)

2002 Keely Swings Basie-Style With Strings (Concord)

2005 Vegas '58 – Today (Recorded Live At Feinstein's At The Regency) (Concord)

NPR: "Keely Smith: A Swingin' Icon of Early Vegas"

Interview by KUOW-FM's Amanda Wilde

at IMDb

Keely Smith