Thelma Gracen (January 6, 1922 - October 24, 1994) was a high-quality US Jazz singer who after recording her only album disappeared under the radar, and got lost in the mists of time.
Thelma Gracen was born in Chicago. She began singing at the age of 12 in the clubs and dances in her neighbourhood. As she grew older, she expanded her radius of action, performing both downtown and in the Chicago suburbs. In 1947 she sang in the Gay Claridge Orchestra ("Juke Box Serenade"). She later became the singer of popular dance bands such as Shep Fields, (1950 - 51) Jan Garber (53) and Jimmy Dorsey. Joint performances with Freddie Slack's band in 1955 finally called a talent scout from Wing Records who discovered her beautiful voice.
At the age of 33 in November 1955 she recorded her first and only LP in Hollywood at the age of 33 for the Wing label, with a studio band of West Coast jazz musicians which included Quen Anderson , Georgie Auld , Lou Levy , Barney Kessel , Joe Comfort and Sid Bulkin . She performed standards like " I'll Get By ,"" I'll Remember April ,"" More Than You Know ,"" Out of Nowhere ,"" Solitude , " and " Tea for Two ."
After enjoying a few of her songs, you will realize that she had what it takes to be not only a good singer, but a good jazz singer. She has the beat, the feeling, and that special inner understanding of a lyric that can make an indifferent song sound good, a good song sound great, and a great song sound the way it was meant to sound.
She released at least one single in January 1957. An Angel Is Crying b/w La Jolla on the Hollywood Ditto label and very hard to find. This appears to be her last recording. It's a shame her discography is so slim and unless I can find any more information dear music lovers, then this is where her internet trail ends, until her death on 24 October 1994.
(Edited from Wikipedia & ORF) (The scan of the MGM 78 of Today Tomorrow and Forever has wrongfully credited the singer as Stuart Foster. In fact it is Thelma Gracen)