[Dixielandjazz] A Standing Ovation For Anita O'Day

[Steve Barbone]

>From Steven Harris as related on the Kenton Chat List.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone


A standing ovation for the Anita O'Day

This is a brief account on the funeral service I attended for Anita O'Day
who died Nov. 24 at age 87.  It took place Saturday afternoon, Dec. 2, at
Hollywood Forever cemetery (the same place where Woody Herman is interred).
About 150 friends, fans and associates attended the hour-long service.
Ironically, there were few musicians on hand and no relatives, since Anita
had virtually no family.  Various photos surrounded her open casket.
Anita's music, including her first big hit with Krupa, was played at low
volume through the sound system.  A half-dozen speakers reminisced about
Anita, offering colorful anecdotes about her 65-year career.
           
Like her singing counterpart, a fellow named Sinatra, Anita did it HER way.
How she survived so many years after enough physical abuse to kill ten men
is beyond comprehension.  Using the jive vernacular as she fondly did, one
could say that Anita was a hep cat with 18 lives – and she spent them all to
the fullest.  Kim Cramer said it best when she quipped that Anita had her
best relationship with "Jack Daniels."  (Cramer produced a DVD documentary
on the singer which, I believe, is yet to be released.)
           
Her manager, Robbie Cavalina, confirmed that Anita's favorite album of her
own was the 1963 collaboration with arranger Buddy Bregman called "This is
Anita!"  It was one of three LPs that the two worked together on.  Bregman
noted at the service that he first encountered Anita with the Kenton band at
the Standard Club in Chicago, 1944.  He was both bewildered and fascinated
by the experience, remembering: "She sang the whole time with her back to
the audience."  Bergman added, "Without Anita, Verve Records wouldn't have
survived.  In the first three months of her first album, we sold 365,000
copies.  Prior to that, she never sold more than 3,000.  She's the reason
Verve had a great start."  Relating to this subject, her manager explained
that Anita had long lost her teeth in the end.  He said that "Every time we
got a royalty check from Verve, it went to pay for her dentures!"
            
Long-time friend Jim Donovan said that even though Anita lived "a
one-dimensional life there were so many sides to her that she can't be
defined."  Another speaker added, "She owned few possessions, but had
everything she wanted."
            
The highlight was saved for the finale – and touching it was.  The crowd was
cordially asked to rise and give Anita one last round of applause for her
contributions to the entertainment world.  Even in death, O'Day received a
heartfelt, standing ovation.
            
Upon her passing, one could just see the scenario unfold as Anita took a
taxi to the entrance of heaven.  "Oh, driver," Anita would surely suggest,
"just let me off uptown."
 
STEVEN HARRIS in Pasadena, CA