Estrild Raymona Myers (March 11, 1909 – December 14, 1972), known professionally as Ramona, was an American cabaret and jazz singer and pianist during the 1930s.

Biography

Growing up
Ramona was born March 11, 1909, in

Lockland, Ohio Lockland is a village in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,449 at the 2010 United States Census. Lockland is located in southwest Ohio, north of Cincinnati. Its population has declined since the latter part of the 20th cen ...

, to teenage parents – Raymond Pendery Myers (1891–1962), who was , and Rachel Margaret DeCamp ''(maiden;'' 1893–1963), who was . Her parents' marriage was annulled before her birth by her paternal grandparents, Herman Jackson Myers (1859–1945) and Jessie Henrietta Pendery (1960–''n.a.),'' though they were unaware that Rachel was pregnant. Rachel and Ramona, when she was still an infant, moved to

Ashland, Kentucky Ashland is a home rule-class city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. The largest city in Boyd County, Ashland is located upon a southern bank of the Ohio River at the state border with Ohio and near West Virginia. The population was 21,6 ...

, where Rachel met Charles Clifford Payne (1893–1933) and, around 1917, married him. The

namesake A namesake is a person, geographic location, or other entity bearing the name of another. History The word is first attested around 1635, and probably comes from the phrase "for one's name's sake", which originates in English Bible translations ...

s for Raymona Estrild were drawn from her father and her maternal grandmother, Estrild "Trillie" DeCamp ''(né'' Estrild Riggs; born 1860–1928). Music career
When she was twelve, Ramona played piano at a hotel every weekend. She was hired by a radio station in Kansas City as a staff pianist. Three years later moved to Pittsburgh and started singing. Around 1929, she became singer and pianist with

Don Bestor Don Bestor (September 23, 1889 - January 13, 1970) was an American bandleader, probably best known for directing the orchestra in the early years of ''The Jack Benny Program'' on old-time radio.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrat ...

and His Orchestra – at the William Penn Hotel in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

and on tour, coast-to-coast. She later performed in vaudeville. Ramona became a vocalist and pianist for

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, W ...

's Orchestra from 1932–37, succeeding

Mildred Bailey Mildred Bailey (born Mildred Rinker; February 27, 1907 – December 12, 1951) was a Native American jazz singer during the 1930s, known as "The Queen of Swing", "The Rockin' Chair Lady" and "Mrs. Swing". She recorded the songs " For Sentimenta ...

. She performed on Whiteman's radio show in 1933,

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...

's radio show in 1933–34, and the '' Kraft Music Hall'' in late 1934 through early 1935 (before Bing Crosby took over the latter program in 1936). She was featured with the Whiteman band in the 20th Century-Fox 1935 film ''

Thanks a Million ''Thanks a Million'' is a 1935 musical film produced and released by 20th Century Fox and directed by Roy Del Ruth. It stars Dick Powell, Ann Dvorak and Fred Allen, and features Patsy Kelly, David Rubinoff and Paul Whiteman and his band with si ...

''. She left Whiteman's band in 1937 and worked as a solo act, recording for

Liberty Music Shop Records Liberty Music Shop Records was a record label formed in New York City in 1933. Its catalogue included Lee Wiley and Ethel Waters. At one time in the late 1930s, Liberty had three shops in New York City. They imported a number of records from the ...

. In the late 1930s, she led a male big band and recorded for Varsity Records.

Personal life

Ramona was married three times. She first married in 1929 to Howard L. Davies. She then married 1936 to H. Kenyon Hopkins (1912–1983), an arranger for

Andre Kostelanetz Andre Kostelanetz (russian: Абрам Наумович Костелянец; December 22, 1901 – January 13, 1980) was a Russian-born American popular orchestral music conductor and arranger who was one of the major exponents of popular orch ...

and

. They divorced around June 1943. Ramona then married June 14, 1944, to baseball broadcaster Al Helfer, which whom, she had her only child, a daughter, Ramona Margaret Perry ''(née'' Ramona Margaret Helfer; 1945–2017), born in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

, New York. Ramona, the mother, remained married to Al Helfer until her death.

Death

Ramona Davies died of cancer in

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

, California on December 14, 1972.

Discography

* ''Ramona and Her Grand Piano''

Songs

I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" is an American popular song and jazz standard by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics). The song was introduced by Adelaide Hall at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York in January 1928 in Lew L ...

(

Jimmy McHugh James Francis McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by many artists, including Chet Baker, Ju ...

Dorothy Fields Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904 – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist and lyricist. She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films. Her best-known pieces include "The Way You Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (1936), " On t ...

), recorded September 13, 1935 * I Hate to Think That You'll Grow Old, Baby (

Lew Brown Lew Brown (born Louis Brownstein; December 10, 1893 – February 5, 1958) was a lyricist for popular songs in the United States. During World War I and the Roaring Twenties, he wrote lyrics for several of the top Tin Pan Alley composers, esp ...

& Ray Henderson), March 7, 1933 * The Beat O' My Heart (

Harold Spina Harold Spina (21 June 1906 – 18 July 1997) was an American composer of popular songs. His best-known work happened in the early 1930s, when he collaborated with lyricists Johnny Burke and Joe Young on songs such as "Annie Doesn't Live Her ...

& Johnny Burke), February 27, 1934 * You Excite Me! (

Mitchell Parish Mitchell Parish (born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky; July 10, 1900 – March 31, 1993) was an American lyricist, notably as a writer of songs for stage and screen. Biography Parish was born to a Jewish family in Lithuania, Russian Empire in July 190 ...

& Frank Perkins), August 16, 1933 * Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore (

& Johnny Burke), October 24, 1933 * Broadway's Gone Hill-Billy,

Jay Gorney Jay Gorney (December 12, 1896– June 14, 1990) was an American theater and film song writer. Life and career Gorney was born Abraham Jacob Gornetzsky on December 12, 1896, in Białystok, Russia (now part of Poland), the son of Frieda (Perlst ...

), March 27, 1934 * Are You Makin' Any Money? (

Herman Hupfeld Herman Hupfeld (February 1, 1894June 8, 1951) was an American songwriter whose most notable composition was " As Time Goes By". He wrote both the lyrics and music. Life and career Hupfeld was born in Montclair, New Jersey, the son of Fredericka ...

, July 20, 1933 * I Lay Me Down to Sleep, ( Allie Wrubel), April 19, 1933 * Not for All the Rice in China (

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russ ...

), October 20, 1933 * A Penny for Your Thoughts ( E.Y Harburg &

Vernon Duke Vernon Duke ( 16 January 1969) was a Russian-born American composer/songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for " Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I Can' ...

), March 1, 1933 * Barrel-House Music (

Willard Robison Willard Robison (September 18, 1894 – June 24, 1968) was an American vocalist, pianist, and composer of popular songs, born in Shelbina, Missouri. His songs reflect a rural, melancholy theme steeped in Americana and their warm style has ...

) September 13, 1935 * Come Up and See Me Sometime (

Louis Alter Louis Alter (June 18, 1902 – November 5, 1980) was an American pianist, songwriter and composer. At 13, he began playing piano in theaters showing silent films. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Stuar ...

& Arthur Swanstrom). August 8, 1933 * I'm No Angel ( Harvey Brooks, Gladys DuBois, Ben Ellison), October 20, 1933 * I Found a New Way to Go to Town (Harvey Brooks, Gladys DuBois, Ben Ellison), October 20, 1933 * New O'leans (

Arthur Lange Arthur Lange (April 16, 1889 – December 7, 1956) was a United States bandleader and Tin Pan Alley composer of popular music. He composed music for over 120 films, including ''Grand Canary'' and '' Woman on the Run''. Lange shared an Oscar nomi ...

), July 9, 1935 * Ah, the Moon Is Here ( Sammy Fain &

Irving Kahal Irving Kahal (March 5, 1903, Houtzdale, Pennsylvania – February 7, 1942, New York City) was a popular American song lyricist active in the 1920s and 1930s. He is best remembered for his collaborations with composer Sammy Fain which started in 19 ...

), August 16, 1933 * Tony's Wife ( Burton Lane &

Harold Adamson Harold Campbell Adamson (December 10, 1906 – August 17, 1980) was an American lyricist during the 1930s and 1940s. Early life Adamson, the son of building contractor Harold Adamson and Marion "Minnie" Campbell Adamson, was born and raised in ...

), March 7, 1933 *

No Strings ''No Strings'' is a musical drama with book by Samuel A. Taylor and words and music by Richard Rodgers. ''No Strings'' is the only Broadway score for which Rodgers wrote both lyrics and music, and the first musical he composed after the death of ...

, (

), September 13, 1935 * Every Now And Then ( Abner Silver, Al Sherman, & Al Lewis), September 13, 1935 * We're Out of the Red (

), March 27, 1934 * Never Had an Education (

Irving Caesar Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for numerous song standards, including " Swanee", "Sometimes I'm Happy", " Crazy Rhythm", and " Tea for T ...

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his musicals and operettas, particularly '' The Student Prince'' (1924), '' The Desert Song'' (1926) and '' The New Moon'' (1928). E ...

), March 7, 1933 * Raisin' the Rent ( Harold Arlen &

Ted Koehler Ted L. Koehler (July 14, 1894 – January 17, 1973) was an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. Life and career Koehler was born in 1894 in Washington, D.C. He started out as a photo-engraver, but w ...

), April 20, 1933 *

Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...

, ( Cole Porter), October 26, 1934 * The Heart Is Quicker Than the Eye ( Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers), April 28, 1936

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramona 1909 births 1972 deaths American cabaret performers Deaths from cancer in California People from Ashland, Kentucky People from Lockland, Ohio Musicians from Cincinnati 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers Kentucky women musicians RCA Victor artists