Frances Wayne

{{about||the American journalist|Frances Belford Wayne}} '''Frances Wayne''' (born '''Chiarina Francesca Bertocci'''<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last1=Feather |first1=Leonard |title=Frances Wayne Dies; Singer in Big Band Era |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24071342/frances_wayne/ |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=February 10, 1978 |location=California, Los Angeles |page=Part IV 28|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 26, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> or '''Clara Bertocci''', August 26, 1919 – February 6, 1978) was an American jazz vocalist. She was best known for her recording of "Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe."<ref name=":0" />

== Early years and career== Wayne was born in Boston<ref name=":0" /> and graduated from Somerville High School.<ref>{{cite news |title=Somerville Band Singer to Wed in Midnight Ceremony |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24069752/the_boston_globe/ |work=The Boston Globe |date=October 31, 1945 |location=Massachusetts, Boston |page=18|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 26, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref>

She moved to New York City in her teens, where she sang in an ensemble led by her brother, saxophonist Nick Jerret.<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p9906|pure_url=yes}} Frances Wayne] at Allmusic</ref> A 1942 review in ''Billboard'' magazine described her as "a striking brunette with a true contralto, perfect rhythm, and, most interesting, a brand-new style...of deep understanding and feeling for the spirit of what she sings."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Carter|title=On the Stand: Nick Jerret|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/40s/1942/Billboard%201942-04-04.pdf|access-date=15 April 2016|agency=Billboard|date=April 4, 1942|page=21}}</ref>

Early in the 1940s, she recorded with Charlie Barnet's big band, Sam Donahue’s band and in 1943 sang with Woody Herman's band.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zirpolo |first1=Mike |title=“Flo-Flo” Sam Donahue/Ralph Burns (1941) |url=https://swingandbeyond.com/2024/07/15/flo-flo-sam-donahue-ralph-burns-1941/ |access-date=8 January 2025 |agency=Swing and Beyond |date=July 15, 2024}}</ref> After her husband, Neal Hefti, formed his own big band in 1947,<ref name="simon81">Simon, George T. (1981). ''Simon Says, 4th Edition''. Schirmer Books. {{ISBN|0-02-872430-5}} P. 36.</ref> Wayne soloed in this ensemble as well. She sang with Hefti into the 1950s, and later sang with smaller ensembles, which featured Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Jerome Richardson, Richie Kamuca, John LaPorta, Billy Bauer, and Al Cohn.

On radio, Wayne was the female vocalist on ''The Woody Herman Show''.<ref name="rp">{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows|date=1999|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|isbn=978-0-7864-4513-4|pages=358–359}}</ref> She received the 1946 ''Esquire'' Award as Best New Female Vocalist.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=Frances Hefti, professional singer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24071789/frances_wayne/ |work=The Boston Globe |date=February 12, 1978 |location=Massachusetts, Boston |page=43|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 26, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Personal life== On November 2, 1945, in Somerville, Massachusetts, Wayne married musician Neal Hefti,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24069266/the_boston_globe/|title=Nuptials at Midnight|date=November 5, 1945|work=The Boston Globe|accessdate=September 26, 2018|location=Massachusetts, Boston|page=5|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> who played trumpet and arranged material for Herman.<ref name="simon81" /> They had two children and remained together until her death.<ref name=":1" />

== Death == On February 6, 1978, Wayne died in Boston at age 58 after suffering from cancer over an extended period.<ref name=":0" />

==Discography== * ''That Old Black Magic'' with the Charlie Barnet Orchestra (Decca, 1943)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Orodenker|first1=M.H.|title=On the Records: Charlie Barnet |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/40s/1943/Billboard%201943-01-30.pdf|access-date=15 April 2016 |agency=Billboard|date=January 30, 1943|page=22}}</ref> * ''The Music Stopped'' with the Woody Herman Orchestra (Decca, 1944)<ref>{{cite news|title=Music Popularity Chart|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/40s/1944/Billboard-1944-04-02.pdf |access-date=15 April 2016|agency=Billboard|date=April 22, 1944|page=17}}</ref> * ''Songs for My Man'' with the Neal Hefti Orchestra (Epic, 1956) * ''Frances Wayne'' (Brunswick, 1957) * ''The Warm Sound of Frances Wayne'' (Atlantic, 1957)

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Portal|Biography|United States|Music}} * [https://archive.org/details/FrancesWayneCollection Frances Wayne Collection at Internet Archive]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wayne, Frances}} Category:1924 births Category:1978 deaths Category:American jazz singers Category:Singers from Massachusetts Category:20th-century American singers Category:Deaths from cancer in Massachusetts Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Category:Exclusive Records artists