Toni Arden

Antoinette Ardizzone (February 15, 1924 – May 29, 2012), known professionally as Toni Arden, was an American traditional pop music singer.

Family

Arden was born in New York City. Her father, Phillip Ardizzone, was a singer with the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala.[1] Her brother, Jan Arden, was also a singer.[2] The siblings teamed up for night club performances in the late 1950s.[3]

Career

Early years

Arden became a big band singer in the 1940s, singing with Al Trace, Joe Reichman, Ray Bloch and Shep Fields.

Recording

She started recording as a soloist in 1946 for the minor National Records company. After her appearance on the early television talent series Doorway to Fame, Arden signed her first solo recording contract with a major record label, Columbia Records, in 1949 (Arden was arguably the only performer out of 20,000 over Doorway to Fame's two-year run on air to become relatively famous); at Columbia, she had several hits including "I Can Dream, Can't I?" (which reached #7 on the Billboard charts), "Too Young" (which reached #15), "Kiss of Fire" (which reached #14) and "I'm Yours" (which reached #24). CD compilations of these earlier recordings can be found on the Sepia Records label[4] and a two-CD set released by Jasmine Records[5]

In the mid-1950s she moved to Decca Records, where her biggest selling record (her only million-seller)[6] was "Padre" in 1958. LP albums included "Miss Toni Arden," "Besame!", "Sing a Song of Italy" and "Italian Gold."[7] She sang in both Italian and English.[8] The first two albums have been compiled on a second CD by the Sepia Records label.[9] She also recorded briefly for RCA Victor and Mercury Records. Her last album My World is You (GPRT Records) features the compositions of Gladys Shelley.

Radio

In 1954, Arden recorded 13 radio programs for the US Marine Corps via electrical transcription. The Toni Arden Show was broadcast on participating local stations.[10] In 1956, she was featured on an episode of What's New in Music on CBS.[11]

Television

Arden appeared on The Music of George Gershwin,[12] This Is Show Business,[13] Dick Clark's program,[14] and The Jimmy Dean Show.[15] She and her brother, Jan, sang two duets on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1959.[16]

Death

She died at her home in Lake Worth, Florida, on May 29, 2012 at the age of 88.[17]

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Toni Arden among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[18]

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References
  1. Sasso, Joey (November 13, 1950). "Meet Youthful Toni Arden". The Ogden Standard-Examiner. p. 13. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "TV Questions and Answers". News-Journal. August 24, 1969. p. 8-D. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Eigen, Jack (March 7, 1959). "Jack Eigen speaking ..." Chicago Daily Tribune.
  4. "THIS IS TONI ARDEN (SEPIA 1050)". Sepiarecords.com. 2005-06-06. Archived from the original on 2007-08-18. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  5. "Toni ARDEN - I Can Dream, Can''t I?". Jasmine-records.co.uk. 2005-10-21. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  6. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 97. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  7. "Toni Arden". Saxonyrecordcompany.com. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  8. "Toni Arden-tly Sings". Northwest Arkansas Times. April 19, 1963. p. 7. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "TONI ARDEN – BESAME, TONI ARDEN IN LATIN AMERICA (SEPIA 1188)". Sepiarecords.com. Archived from the original on 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  10. "Toni Arden Will Be Heard Here". The Daily Mail. May 1, 1954. p. 10. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Distinguished Cast On KYFO Today; Excitement Surrounded SWC Session". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. May 20, 1956. p. Page 4, Sec. VI. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Lester, John (May 17, 1956). "Radio and Television". The Gazette and Daily. p. 27. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "TV Key". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 11, 1953. p. 14. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Viewing Screens". The Pocono Record. June 14, 1958. p. 11. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. Alber, David O. (October 26, 1958). "TV Quiz". Waco Tribune-Herald. p. 43. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Jane Russell Guests On Sullivan Show". The Daily Capital News. August 8, 1959. p. 10. Retrieved May 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Area Deaths". The Palm Beach Post. June 2, 2012.
  18. Rosen, Jody (June 25, 2019). "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
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