{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Short description|American singer-songwriter}} thumb|Photo of Pursell in 1932
'''June Pursell''' (also known as '''June Purcell''') was an American singer, songwriter, and actress, who also played the ukulele.<ref name="LAEE3">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1926| title =June Pursell and Ron Wilson Sing From Palatial Residence| publisher=Los Angeles Evening Express| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/608494456/?clipping_id=44170758&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjYwODQ5NDQ1NiwiaWF0IjoxNjg4NjU0MTcxLCJleHAiOjE2ODg3NDA1NzF9.H2l60JaKi1XB7Jwzy4rYMzW7AZK2HOnqyHUeXiUWpJE|access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="TIT">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1934| title =June Pursell Returns to City as Stage Star| publisher=The Indianapolis Times| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/873170691/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1 |access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="TIN">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1934| title =Well-Blanced Features Given| publisher=The Indianapolis News| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/314211541/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1 |access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/338627/Pursell_June|title=June Pursell|website=Discography of American Historical Recordings|accessdate=27 May 2023}}</ref> Born as Mary Pursell on December 16, 1902, in Indianapolis, Indiana,<ref name="JPR">{{Citation| last =Hickman| first =June| year =1934| title =June Pursell to Return to City in Stage Act| publisher=The Indianapolis Times| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/873169138/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1|access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="TIN3">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1934| title =Singer Is Back In Her Home Town| publisher=The Indianapolis News| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/314189357/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1|access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/5519232-June-Pursell|title=June Pursell|website=Discogs|accessdate=27 May 2023}}</ref> she made notable contributions to the world of music and film during her career.
==Information==
Pursell had no intentions of entering show business, but after her father died, she was tasked with supporting the family. Pursell then broke her arm and performed some of her earliest gigs with her arm in a sling.<ref name="TIS">{{Citation| last =Patrick| first =Corbin| year =1934| title =June Pursell, "Babe in Woods," Went Looking for Job With Arm in Sling| publisher=The Indianapolis Star| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/105282217/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1|access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref> Pursell was initially offered $150 per week to perform and later passed an audition for the KNX radio station. While her first performance was not popular with the main KNX announcer, she received a lot of fan-mail and was hired.<ref name="TIS"></ref>
Pursell's vocal talents gained recognition in the 1920s and 1930s. She was signed with NBC<ref name="Times">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1933| title ='Honey of the Air' to Sing For Charity At Bohack Foundation| publisher=Times Union| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/577797760/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1| access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref> and was compared to Nora Bayes.<ref name="HTH">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1932| title =June Pursell To Be Heard Over NBC-KGO| publisher=HAwaii Tribune-Herald| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/555590676/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1|access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref> She became known as "The KNX Girl" and deemed "the girl with the ballad voice".<ref name="LAEE2">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1929| title =June Pursell 'KNX' Girl,' To Appear Soon in Talkie| publisher=Los Angeles Evening Express| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/608477871/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1| access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="TMC">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1932| title =Radio Favorite| publisher=The Morning Call| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/274869965/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1| access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="LAEE">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1929| title =June Pursell To Be Feature| publisher=Los Angeles Evening Express| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/608478031/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1| access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="TABJ">{{Citation| last =Doran| first =Dorothy| year =1932| title =Manager of Dempsey Listed for Local Microphone Talk| publisher=The Akron Beacon Journal| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/228702419/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1| access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref> Between 1925 and 1932, she recorded for both the Victor and Brunswick labels.<ref>{{cite web |title=Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine |url=https://archive.org/search?query=June+Pursell |website=archive.org |access-date=11 July 2023}}</ref> From 1929 to 1931 she sang and recorded with Earl Burtnett and his Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra, and in 1932 she sang and recorded with Jack Denny and his Waldoff-Astoria Orchestra.<ref>{{cite book |last= Rust |first=Brian |author-link= |date=1979 |title=The American Dance Band Discography, 1917–1942, Volume 1 (2nd Printing)|location=New Rochelle, New York |publisher=Arlington House |isbn=9780786443192| page =217-219, 401-402}}</ref> These recordings showcased her versatile abilities as a soprano solo artist, as well as her collaborations with esteemed band leaders such as Roy Fox, Earl Burtnett, and Jack Denny.<ref name="auto"/> June Pursell's soprano voice captivated audiences and earned her a place among the prominent singers of her time. Pursell also made notable appearances in two films: "The Hollywood Revue" in 1929 and "Viennese Nights" in 1930.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0700730/|title=June Purcell|website=IMDb|accessdate=27 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5G-eCQAAQBAJ&dq=June+Pursell+mary+pursell&pg=PA378 | title=Vitaphone Films: A Catalogue of the Features and Shorts | isbn=9780786446971 | last1=Liebman | first1=Roy | date=September 2, 2010 | publisher=McFarland }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Bradley |first=Edwin M. |author-link= |date=2005 |title=The First Hollywood Sound Shorts, 1926-1931 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |page=388 |isbn=9780786443192}}</ref> These appearances allowed Pursell to display her talents to a wider audience.
As a songwriter, Pursell wrote several songs including "What Good Am I Without You" and "I Couldn't Love You More If I Tried", both copyrighted in 1956.<ref>{{cite journal |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=1956 |title=Unpublished Music |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ry8hAQAAIAAJ&dq=June+Pursell&pg=PA663 |journal=Catalog of Copyright Entries |series=Third Series |volume=10, Part 5B |issue=1 |pages=83, 663 |access-date=2023-07-03}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
Pursell married Thomas H. Culkin in January 1952.<ref name="Trib">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1952| title =June Pursell Becomes Mrs. Thomas H. Culkin| work=The Tribune| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/528925875/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1| access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref> Pursell's surname was often misspelled as "Purcell".<ref name="TES">{{Citation| last =| first =| year =1932| title =On The Air by The Listener| publisher=The Evening Sun| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/369497085/?terms=June%20Pursell&match=1|access-date = 13 March 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{cite web |title=June Pursell |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/338627/Pursell_June |website=Discography of American Historical Recordings |publisher=UC Santa Barbara}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pursell, June}} Category:1902 births Category:American sopranos Category:Singers from Indiana Category:Musicians from Indianapolis Category:20th-century American women singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:Year of death missing