I Don't Want to Walk Without You

Marilyn Duke

Marilyn (Marylin) Duke (née Manfrey Lecta Duke; 3 October 1916 Jackson, Georgia – 7 August 1995 Clayton County, Georgia), was an American singer from the swing era of the mid to late 1930s and early 1940s. She began as a soloist in 1933 on radio in Atlanta, then, beginning 1936, was carried on syndicated and network radio from New York. In the first half of the 1940s, Duke traveled and recorded as a featured singer with big bands, notably with Vaughn Monroe. She distinguished herself as a rhythm singer — that is, a singer who swings. And, while with the Monroe Orchestra, she was acclaimed for having an engaging personalty. Duke was a tall brunette, and, according to journalists, attractive. As for her hair color, Duke was a blonde when she re-joined Monroe's … more »