Nancy Norman

Nancy Norman

Nancy Norman (born Florence Berman on April 23, 1925 in Los Angeles, California) is an American vocalist. Nancy Norman studied voice while attending Roosevelt High School. Then, World War II erupted. Many of her classmates of Japanese descent, along with their families, were sent to relocation facilities outside of Los Angeles. During this time, Nancy learned that the renowned "Swing and Sway" big band leader Sammy Kaye was going to be holding a contest in Los Angeles. She entered the Who Wants to Sing With the Band contest and Sammy Kaye was so impressed with Nancy that he immediately signed her on as one of his "girl singers" in his "Swing and Sway" band. At just 4’11”, barely 100lbs, and only 16 years old, "Little Nancy Norman" as she was frequently introduced, was underaged and had to be accompanied by her mother when she traveled back to New York City, as well as traveling to other cities with the Sammy Kaye Orchestra. Miss Norman was Sammy Kaye’s lead female singer from 1942 to 1945. Hits featuring Nancy Norman's vocals in the 1940s include: Chickery Chick, Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week), and There Will Never Be Another You. Norman had three songs in the Top 10 according to Billboard’s top jukebox played songs. Chickery Chick spent four and a half months on the charts, and one month at the top of the charts in 1945, an impressive feat for this young singer. Nancy Norman also introduced several classic songs such as You'll Never Know, and As Time Goes By. She performed with the Sammy Kaye Orchestra across the country including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia. However, following one performance in Boston, Massachusetts with her suggestive rendition of I'm A Big Girl Now, Miss Norman fell to the fate of being "banned in Boston" from ever again performing in that city. In 1948 Nancy Norman married Robert Jacobs and relocated back to Beverly Hills, California. She still resides in her native Los Angeles in the same Westside home that she and her husband built shortly after their marriage. Miss Norman had three children.

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