Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg (September 20, 1924 – March 10, 2016), known as Gog… Read Full Bio ↴Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg (September 20, 1924 – March 10, 2016), known as Gogi Grant, was an American popular singer. She is best known for her No. 1 hit in 1956, "The Wayward Wind".
Grant was born as Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the eldest of six children of Russian Jewish parents, Rose (née Jacobson) and Alexander Arinsberg. At the age of 12, she moved to Los Angeles, where she attended Venice High School. In California, she won a teenage singing contest and appeared on television talent shows.
She worked as a car salesperson in the early 1950s.In 1952 she began to record, using first the name "Audrey Brown" and later "Audrey Grant." She was given the name "Gogi" by Dave Kapp, the head of Artists and Repertory at RCA Victor, who liked to patronize a restaurant called "Gogi's LaRue." (Another source says that Grant asked Kapp, "What is a Gogi?" She continued, "His answer was, 'Darned if I know, I dreamed it last night.'")
In 1955 Grant signed with a small record company, Era Records, and had her first top ten hit with "Suddenly There's a Valley." The next year, she had an even bigger hit, reaching number 1 on Billboard 's Top 100 chart with "The Wayward Wind" and holding there for six weeks. The song sold over one million copies in the United States alone, and peaked at No. 9 in the UK Singles Chart. She was voted the most popular female vocalist by Billboard magazine. This single returned to the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961.
In 1957, she supplied the vocals for Ann Blyth's portrayal of Helen Morgan in the biographical film, The Helen Morgan Story. The soundtrack occasioned her return to RCA Victor (the soundtrack album climbed to No. 25 in the Billboard album chart), where she had a minor hit the following year with "Strange Are the Ways of Love." Moreover, she was signed to star in The Big Beat in the spring of 1957. The film, which featured musical performances by the Cal Tjader Quintet, George Shearing, and the Del Vikings, was produced and directed by William Cowan and released in February 1958.
In 1958, Grant was one of the three solo singers featured in the first stereo LP of the classic musical Show Boat. The other solo singers were Howard Keel, who had appeared in the 1951 film version of the show, and Anne Jeffreys.
Although she made albums and appeared on television into the 1960s, her popularity declined and she initially retired from singing in 1967 after a final US chart single, "The Sea" (top 20 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart). An album of hers was released in UK some 20 years later. Grant survived cancer surgery and was in remission. In 2004, aged 80, she made an appearance on the PBS 1950s pop music special Magic Moments and sang "The Wayward Wind."
Grant headlined with The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies in Palm Springs, California. One of her more notable appearances of her later years was with the Follies on December 31, 2006. She was still performing as late as 2013, at the age of 89.
In 1959, Grant married attorney Robert Rifkind. The couple had two children.
Grant died on March 10, 2016, aged 91. Her death was announced by her son, Joshua Beckett. She also had a daughter, Jeri Brown.
Grant was born as Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the eldest of six children of Russian Jewish parents, Rose (née Jacobson) and Alexander Arinsberg. At the age of 12, she moved to Los Angeles, where she attended Venice High School. In California, she won a teenage singing contest and appeared on television talent shows.
She worked as a car salesperson in the early 1950s.In 1952 she began to record, using first the name "Audrey Brown" and later "Audrey Grant." She was given the name "Gogi" by Dave Kapp, the head of Artists and Repertory at RCA Victor, who liked to patronize a restaurant called "Gogi's LaRue." (Another source says that Grant asked Kapp, "What is a Gogi?" She continued, "His answer was, 'Darned if I know, I dreamed it last night.'")
In 1955 Grant signed with a small record company, Era Records, and had her first top ten hit with "Suddenly There's a Valley." The next year, she had an even bigger hit, reaching number 1 on Billboard 's Top 100 chart with "The Wayward Wind" and holding there for six weeks. The song sold over one million copies in the United States alone, and peaked at No. 9 in the UK Singles Chart. She was voted the most popular female vocalist by Billboard magazine. This single returned to the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961.
In 1957, she supplied the vocals for Ann Blyth's portrayal of Helen Morgan in the biographical film, The Helen Morgan Story. The soundtrack occasioned her return to RCA Victor (the soundtrack album climbed to No. 25 in the Billboard album chart), where she had a minor hit the following year with "Strange Are the Ways of Love." Moreover, she was signed to star in The Big Beat in the spring of 1957. The film, which featured musical performances by the Cal Tjader Quintet, George Shearing, and the Del Vikings, was produced and directed by William Cowan and released in February 1958.
In 1958, Grant was one of the three solo singers featured in the first stereo LP of the classic musical Show Boat. The other solo singers were Howard Keel, who had appeared in the 1951 film version of the show, and Anne Jeffreys.
Although she made albums and appeared on television into the 1960s, her popularity declined and she initially retired from singing in 1967 after a final US chart single, "The Sea" (top 20 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart). An album of hers was released in UK some 20 years later. Grant survived cancer surgery and was in remission. In 2004, aged 80, she made an appearance on the PBS 1950s pop music special Magic Moments and sang "The Wayward Wind."
Grant headlined with The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies in Palm Springs, California. One of her more notable appearances of her later years was with the Follies on December 31, 2006. She was still performing as late as 2013, at the age of 89.
In 1959, Grant married attorney Robert Rifkind. The couple had two children.
Grant died on March 10, 2016, aged 91. Her death was announced by her son, Joshua Beckett. She also had a daughter, Jeri Brown.
It Happens Every Spring
Gogi Grant Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'It Happens Every Spring' by these artists:
Frank Sinatra It happens every spring The world is young again Where child…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Gogi Grant:
Bewitched She's a fool and don't I know it But a fool…
But Beautiful Love is funny or it's sad, Or it's quiet or…
How Deep Is the Ocean How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
I When days are long and nights are lonely And all my…
I Can't Give You Anything But Love Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
I Don't Want To Walk Without You All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
I'll Never Be The Same I'll never be the same Stars have lost their meaning for…
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You Never thought I'd fall, But now I hear love call, I'm gettin…
I'm Getting' Sentimental Over You Never thought I'd fall, But now I hear love call, I'm gett…
Kiss Me Honey Honey Kiss Me Another op'nin', another Show Another op'nin', another show…
Love Walked In Love walked right in and drove the shadows away Love walked…
Love Walked Right In Love walked right in and drove the shadows away Love walked…
Lover You went away I let you We broke the ties that bind I…
My Man It's cost me a lot But there's one thing that I've…
On The Sunny Side Of The Street Walked with no one and talked with no one And I…
Paradise And then she holds my hand, mm And then I understand.…
Strange Are The Ways Of Love A rainbow colors The autumn sky So overpowering You want to …
Suddenly There's a Valley When you've climbed the highest mountain When a cloud holds …
That's My Desire To spend one night with you in our old rendezvous, And…
The Man I Love When days are long and nights are lonely And all my…
The More I See You Each time I look at you is like the first…
The One I Love When days are long and nights are lonely And all my…
The Wayward Wind The wayward wind is a restless wind A restless wind…
They Say It They say that falling love is wonderful It's wonderful, so …
They Say It's Wonderful They say that falling love is wonderful It's wonderful, so t…
Wayward Wind The wayward wind is a restless wind A restless wind…
Welcome To My Heart I let a song go out of my heart It was…
When the Tide Is High When the tide is high I remember your kiss of goodbye As…
Who Are We Who are we To doubt the things we see A rose, a…
Why Can't You Behave Why can't you behave? Oh, why can't you behave? After all th…
Why Was I Born Spending these lonesome evenings With nothing to do But to l…
Why Was I Born? Spending these lonesome evenings With nothing to do But to…
Would I Love You Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
You're in Love You're in love You're in love You're too shy to confess You…
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Betty Racine
I have this song on one of Gogi's CDs. I remember The Wayward Wind and Suddenly There's a Valley from the 50s. She does a great job on this song.
Zeke Weed
Beautiful woman, perfect voice...love Gogi, God Bless Gogi
Farnham Scott
My mother's favourite singer. I remember the re-issue of her Suddenly album that was red vinyl. My favourite selection? Probably "I let a song go out of my heart." My brother has "The Wayword Wind" in his juke box. She needs re-discovery. A National Treasure to be sure.
bjbell52
The theme to one of my favorite movies when I was younger.
Terrence Gurnee
68 now! still in love with gogi
David Chernofsky
i am listening for a second time
Mark Gallagher
@dchern I take it your a Gogie Grant fan. I don't think there is many of us around. Those under fifty probly never even heard of her. Even the Oldy Stations play nothing of her's but "The Wayward Wind". Which by the way is my all time favorite song. I'm about the worlds biggest Frankie Laine fan, but his version of the song which he recorded in 1968 can not compare to Gogi's. I think her problem was she came out to late and ran right into the "Rock N' Roll" wall.
David Chernofsky
only 683 people have heard this little ditty for shame
Tony Ruiz
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh