Catvas2's photostream

This website is dedicated to Timi Yuro and set up by Catvas2, I’m not a member of a Timi Yuro group or Timi Yuro web site. These images-articles come from my collection, which I will change regular in my photostream. I thought others might appreciate these tidbits of forgotten history.You may use this images/articles but be so kind to add a note stating where you found the item. Click on the image to view all sizes.
I will add more information about Timi’s life-career as time permits.



Timi Yuro Live video's click here: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4A9045132DD57ED2

Introductory:
Also known as "liberty‘s lark", "the hurt girl", "little miss big", and the prase "blue-eyed soul" was coined for Timi Yuro, one of the least remembered R&B singers of the early 60’s. Timi Yuro was an Italian-American gal who could belt out a ballad with such power she could peel paint. She had an undeniable soulful quality but also a keen sense of jazz phrasing… as well as pulling r'n'b and country music into the mix. Timi's top ten recording of "Hurt" in 1961, remains as one of the best vocal performances of 60's pop music. Timi Yuro a lady who possessed a tremendous and unique voice. She made some great records.



Suggested You Tube channels for a good selective overview is recommended:

Tribute channel 1: www.youtube.com/user/TimiYuroFriends

Tribute channel 2: www.youtube.com/user/TheTimiYuroFriends

7 Timi Yuro video's:www.youtube.com/user/Scorpio1084

Timi Yuro 3x Ed Sullivan show 1962 in 1 video: www.youtube.com/user/captainyuro

Photo: Timi Yuro 1961

Biography and summary information with kind permission of You Tube channel: TimiYuroFriends

An excellent singer at the start of the sixties was Timi Yuro, her million-selling debut single, "Hurt" introduced a performer who’s voice was in the deep range, and while Yuro never again achieved the same commercial heights, her finest records deserve mention in the same breath as Aretha Franklin, Irma Thomas, and the other soul queens of the era. Rosemary Timotea Yuro was born August 4, 1940 into an Italian-American family in Chicago, the middle name stems from an Irish godfather, who wanted to call his godson Timothy. When the baby was a girl, he suggested she be named Timotea, an Italian name for girls. Her parents compromised by using Timotea as a middle name. Her parents call her Rosemary and her family called her "Ro" - short for Rosemary. – But Timi makes and attractive name for a singer, so she was using it professionally, although she admitted that because of that billing many people thought of her as Japanese although she told "she’s a 100 percent Chicago-Italian girl"– . Her Italian grandparents spoke no English when they came to the U.S.A. The immigration officer at Ellis Island registered their familyname a Yuro,as he could not understand the Italian pronunciation of Aurro. Timi was the Yuro's second child, - her brother Anthony V. Yuro was born in 1935 - she spent her earliest years in Chicago. Timi was the product of a close-knit, Italian family where music was always in the foreground. She told "We had these big family parties quite often – my uncle would play the piano and I’d sing". Timi Yuro was the best spokesman of her feelings about singing. "I’ve got something inside me that I’ve got to let out. Some people do it by talking – I’ve got do it by singing. I can only sing music that I really feel, not just words and a tune. I guess that’s why I love the blues – I can sing them with all of me, not just my voice". Timi's nanny, Mrs.Houston-who was previously Mrs.Yuro's nanny-was to have a tremendous influence on Timi's career, according to legend, her nanny also snuck her into the Windy City's legendary blues clubs, where Timi witnessed life-altering live appearances by singers Dinah Washington and Mildred Bailey. How a preadolescent girl, even with a nanny, got into those clubs is a mystery. Mrs.Houston took the girl to church with her, Yuro was so moved by the music, she joined the choir and sang gospel. Timi recalled also being baptised, several times, during church visits with those neighbours. Timi Yuro inherited heir feisty nature and her innate musical ability from her Italian mother Edith and her grandmother, Vincenzina. Yuro first sang publicly in bars located on Chicago’s south side, owned by her grandmother, the youngster was able to draw on tunes as disparate as the Italian standard "Sorrento," and the oldie "Long John Blues".

Timi attented Shepard school in Chicago until 12 when the Yuro’s moved to Hollywood in 1952, although her family was not well off financially, her mother Edith was so convinced of her daughter's potential - against the wishes of her father who beat her for singing - that she took Timi to the renowned vocal coach Dr. Lilian Goodman. At the time, Lilian Goodman, the voice-coach for such celebrities as Frankie Laine and Kirk Douglas, P.J.Proby and Elizabeth Taylor, and her fee was Hollywood-size. However, as legend has it, Dr. Goodman was so impressed that she agreed to take Timi on at a considerable reduced rate, and later free lessons. Timi's voice lessons began while she was still an elementary school student. Her first demo, recorded when she was eight years old,happens to be an opera recording called "Poor Butterfly". Timi Yuro attended Fairfax High School, known for its many famous alumni, notable graduates Demi Moore and Mickey Rooney. Timi graduated from Fairfax in the class of 1957.

Timi Yuro "Poor Butterfly" 1948 click here: youtu.be/Epgv6npd-y8

More schoolpictures in my photostream, page 7.

She joined the schools a Capella choir, two of her choir mates were Phil Spector and Marshall Lieb, Spector would later become the record producer and creator of the early 60’s 'Wall of Sound' after producing Timi’s hit, "What’s a matter baby" peak 12 Billboard Hot 100 1962 – Marshall would later produce the album "Something bad on my mind" in 1968. Timi and her mother were closer than two coats of paint. However, like most teenagers, in 1954 Timi started spending more time away from home. At first Edith didn't mind, especially since Timi took a waitressing job that supplemented the family's income.Soon after becoming a waitress, Timi secretly decided to try to get her foot in the door at local nightclubs. Even though she must have looked rather young to be in such places, she began to get regular singing gigs. Then her mother found out. One night Edith Yuro surreptitiously followed her daughter into a nightclub. Even though she wanted Timi to be famous, she did not think that singing in such an atmosphere was the way to go about it. Soon Timi's act began, Edith stepped from the audience and shouted angrily, "This is your last song!" Timi recognized the voice but, already the professional, she calmly replied, "What's the matter, Miss? Are you allright?" And the show went on.....

Timi was married in June of 1957, hoping this was an opportunity to escape the volatility at home, but happiness turned to tears as her husband began to beat her. Timi’s mother brought her back home and after a few months of marriage filed divorce papers. Her parents opened a restaurant in Hollywood, "Alvolturnos", – after her mother’s birthplace in Italy, Timi’s father came from Abruzzi Italy – and was bust in its first incarnation as a high-class place. Two years on, and facing ruin, Timi persuaded her parents to turn their restaurant into a music venue. With singing waitress Timi as a permanent live attraction, boosted by an array of local talent, the eatery soon became the haunt of the L.A. in-crowd. Even Elvis Presley reportedly went to eat pizza at Alvolturno's. In 1959, one of those who came along was Sonny Knight, a talent scout for the Hollywood-based Liberty records. Sonny (Joseph Coleman Smith) had a hit in 1956 with "Confidential" an R&B ballad. Troy Walker – born in Chigaco, Illinois – was another favourite of Alvolturno’s clientele, and he was Timi’s duet partner. Ronald Reagan called him "a great entertainer. " Jerry Lee Lewis titled him "Killer." Yuro and Walker had an engagement at the Showboat Hotel in Las Vegas. The act was "Timi & Troy." Sonny Knight was eventually able to interest Liberty in signing Timi and Troy, and then nothing…. Yuro:, "He was great, we had a harmony together that was unbelievable, but Liberty couldn’t deal with him. So they more or less told me that they weren’t going to do anything with me". Though, for two frustrating years, she was cutting what she considered to be lightweight and unsuitable pop material. One night she prepared four songs "Hurt", "I apologize"," I’m Confessin", and "A little bird told me", the next morning - in an incident which has since become legendary - she stormed a Liberty records board meeting and told the startled label boss, Al Bennett, that she would tear up her contract unless she was offered more appro-priate songs. When Bennett asked her what she wanted to sing, she broke, unaccompanied, into the song "Hurt", a 1954 hit for the rhythm and blues star Roy Hamilton. Fuelled by the pain and anger Timi was suffering in the wake of the infidelity of her boyfriend singer Larry Bright, – he had only one hit "Mojo Workout " in 1960 – the song’s transformation from passive statement of fact to in-your-face howl of anguish was galvanizing. – "Hurt" was always number one of her personal hit parade –. So impressed were the label chiefs, that as a result Yuro found herself teamed with the producer Clyde Otis and arranger Belford Hendricks to cut her powerhouse rendition of the song. Clyde Otis was Dinah Washington and Nat King Cole's producer. Clyde Otis 1924 - 2008 was the first African American A&R executive for a major label. No one understood her like Otis, Yuro recalled, apart from her mother. Three days later she recorded the four songs she had picked. The first release "Hurt" flipside "I Apologize" recorded within twenty–four hours of startling the Liberty board, it was released within the week. "Hurt" was a number four US pop hit in September 1961, and even more significantly "Hurt" registered on the R&B charts, – at a time when it was unusual for a white artist to do so – where it reached #22, followed by overseas success in many countries. Overnight she was transformed from a local sensation to an international recording star. Timi's top ten recording of "Hurt" remains as one of the best vocal performances of 60's pop music.

Timi Yuro "Hurt" 1961 click here: youtu.be/A1L3mO9vvbk

Usually the story ends there, with the song being rushed-released; an instant hit. An interesting addendum to the legend was later revealed by Timi. She told that Liberty was not completely sold on the finished recording of "Hurt". Her goals frustrated once again, she rebelliously made an acetate dub of "Hurt" and brought it to a Chicago disc jockey. The d.j immidiately played it as a pick hit. Liberty was not all pleased with this turn of events. It was when the radio stations began calling up to ask for the record that the label realized it had a potential smash. Due credit for the succes of "Hurt", must go to the song's producer, Clyde Otis. With the success of "Hurt" in 1961, Liberty execs the following year decided to send Timi Yuro to New York to record "Hurt" in Spanish. What she didn't know was that they mistranslated the lyric. "Herida" means hurt such as a hurt foot or hurt shoulder, not hurt as in brokenhearted. So the song didn't make much sense in Spanish and was considered kind of funny. This is why the Spanish version of "Hurt" was rarely released in Spanish speaking countries.

Timi Yuro "Herida" (Hurt - Spanish) click here: youtu.be/AjlR91lTbJ0


Photo: Timi Yuro's first three LP's. Click on the picture for the track list and "playlist link".

After Timi started recording, she toured with the likes of Ruth Brown, Little Richard, Maxine Brown, Motown artists Timi said, "When I was touring with Etta James and them, I shared a dressing room with Little Richard, who used to steal my make-up. Those were the days!" Timi Yuro, who stood just under five feet tall, became known as the little girl with the big voice". Disc jockeys often referred to her as "Miss Timi Yuro", lest listeners think that her deep voice and androgymous name belonged to a boy. The double-sided hit "Hurt" b/w "I Apologize" was quickly followed by Timi Yuro’s self-titled debut album, with powerfully sung ballads "Just say I love him" and "Trying", her revival of Johnnie Ray’s "Cry" is another standout on Yuro’s first album. "I Apologize" charted in it’s own right and even reached the Easy Listening Top 20.

Yuro was paired with Johnnie Ray to record a version of "I Believe", which is the flipside from "A mother's love". She didn’t had fond memories of the session, Timi told: "I guess he was messed up, he was a sweet guy when he wasn’t drinking, I didn’t enjoy recording with him, Clyde Otis made me do that". Timi recorded two other singles with Johnnie, "Up above my head" and "You can't get away from me", but never released, except on the Johnnie Ray "Yes tonight Josephine" boxset. The duets did nothing for either artist. "Cry" made Johnnie Ray an overnight smash, in 1951. Johnnie Ray was one of those performers who was born to destroy himself. When his doctor told him that he looked well enough to have an occasional glass of wine, Ray took it as an invitation to a twenty-four guzzle-fest, he had destroyed his liver. On februari 24, 1990 John Alvin Ray passed away.
(see photo's & article in my photostream)

Timi Yuro & Johnnie Ray duets, click here:
www.youtube.com/user/TimiYuroFriends#grid/user/CF20E7A1AF...

Impressed by her voice, Frank Sinatra asked Yuro to support him on his 1961 five-day’s Australian tour. She told "the only reason he asked me was because I was Italian." For Timi to be on this tour as an opening act for Frank Sinatra was regarded as a huge accolade for Timi, and was a prestigious close to her first year as a profesional. One of the most enduring legends about Timi Yuro originated during the Sinatra tour. Reportedly, she was performing before a crowd of 15.000 at a Sydney arena when the P.A. system went dead, as the crowd began buzzing with disappointment, Timi hushed them and announced that, if everyone was quiet, they could still hear her sing. The crowd obliged, and Timi was right. While she was belting the back rows, Sinatra came onstage and began circling her, looking up and down. Timi was not amused, "What's that matter with you babe?" she asked, "Nothing kid" Sinatra answered, "I'm just looking for where the plug is".....
(see photo's & article in my photostream)

Yuro's LP, "Soul!", proved to be a collection of standards, perhaps the best illustration of her style is her rendition of "Stardust", and pleasing songs as "There goes my heart", "Be
anything", and "If I had you", with their own quality. Timi’s follow-up "Smile" was co-written by Charlie Chaplin for his classic 1936 film "Modern Times", climbed to the #42 spot in late 1961, and it is reported that the silent movie star loved her interpretation of "Smile." The flip "She really loves you", reached #93 becoming the first Yuro co-composition to chart, it was also later, included on the "Let me call you sweetheart" LP, and serves to prove what a promising songwriter Timi was. Timi scored a successive solo hit with "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" that went only as high as #66 on Billboard’s pop chart, Yuro premiered it on the Ed Sullivan’s TV show and it too reached the Easy Listening Top 20. "Let me call you sweetheart" released as a single, was backed by "Satan never sleeps", the latter title was the soundtrack for the movie with the same name, released by 20th Century Fox.

During sessions for her next effort, "What's a Matter Baby," producer Otis abruptly quit Liberty, after an administrative disagreement. In losing Clyde Otis, Yuro lost her most sympathetic producer. The masters were handed to his interim replacement Phil Spector - later known for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003, he is serving a prison sentence of 19 years to life -. The completed single bears all the hallmarks of the classic Spector sound, from its elegant string arrangement to its insistent rhythm to Yuro's righteously indignant vocal, and would prove her biggest hit since "Hurt". Spector is undoubtedly the most important and influential producer in the history of rock music, his "Wall of Sound" stands as a milestone in recording history, and is timeless on this Yuro classic. But unbelievably, just as she had been forced to do with "Hurt", she had once more, to slip a test pressing to a DJ pal, in Pittsburg. As before, positive response over the airwaves forced a reluctant Al Bennett to call the pressing plant. Result a #12 Pop and #16 R&B hit. Timi demurred the offer of further collaborations with Phil Spector, she told "He wanted me to do those Ronette-type songs, I couldn’t do it". "Thirteenth hour" is one of her finest recordings, written specifically for Timi by Helen Miller, this would have made a great a-side in its own right, yet it was tucked away on the flip of the "What’s a matter baby" single in June 1962. A subsequent single, "The Love Of A Boy", was arranged and co-written by Burt Bacharach, a mid-40s chart. Yuro refused to sing a follow-up, "What the world needs now", in the way he wanted. The song became a hit for both Dionne Warwick and Jackie DeShannon.


Photo: Timi Yuro 3 LP's. Click on the picture for the track list and "playlist link".

Although she has been a professional only eight months, her records already are showing up on jukeboxes, and she has appeared with Steve Allen on TV as well as Sullivan, and she has played Las Vegas. Stage fright plagues the singer in former days, "I died every time" she said, "I was so scared on Ed Sullivan’s show, that Ed kept giving me hot tea and trying to calm me down. "Don’t worry" he said, "remember this is your second time on my show" "It didn’t help though". Yuro told that none of this was apparent on her show. (photo Timi Yuro and Ed Sullivan in my photostream)
Video Timi Yuro in Ed Sullivan show click here: youtu.be/SM6i0B8d9g4

Sammy Davis Jr. labeled Yuro as a "can’t miss newcomer". Yuro's most famous fan was probably Elvis Presley, who commanded his own table at the Las Vegas casino where Timi Yuro headlined in the late 60's. Elvis had a Top 10 hit in 1976 with his version of "Hurt", and asked her blessing before recording it. Musician, singer-songwriter, actor Bobby Darin thaught her everything she knew about singing on stage. In april 2004 singer-songwriter, Steven Patrick Morrissey, announced Yuro's death on his official website, describing her as his favorite singer. In 1994 Morrissey and Siouxsie made the UK Top 30 with a revival of "Interlude". American singer, songwriter, and actor, P.J. Proby (Jim Smith) knew Timi from their time in Hollywood, they worked together and were great friends, Jim often mentioned it during his performances of "Hurt". Timi Yuro is considered to be one of the first "blue-eyed" soul stylist of the rock-era, and she was the first white female artist to sing at New York's legendary's Apollo theatre in Harlem.It was Yuro's first time in New York and she was very scared to perform on the stage of the Apollo theatre. When she came on stage at New York’s famed Apollo, Timi then broke into an impassioned rendition of "Hurt" and the audience stood up and screamed, she was accepted loudly and warmly by the highly critical audience at the Apollo. Yuro said: "It was so cool, it was unbelievable", Clyde Otis was smiling and said "I knew you’d make it". Nonetheless she was a big success there, Yuro’s nickname "The Hurt girl" acquired after this performance at the Apollo. Due credit for Timi's performance must go to Clyde Otis, Timi's producer, he went with her to New York and made her sing at the Apollo and Fox Theater Detroit 1961. It was in the same year she shared the bill with Ray Charles at the Fox Theatre in Detroit in September 1961.

In 1962 The Alvin Show asked Timi Yuro for the Ross Bagdasarian creation the Chipmunks. The program had a great impact on the distinctive look and subsequent persona that the Chipmunks' would continue with for decades to follow. Before the TV show, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore were visually represented by realistic looking puppets and drawings. Their animation makeover created a kinder and gentler image for the trio, who were named after Liberty Records' Al Bennett (Alvin), Si Waronker (Simon), and the staff recording engineer/producer Ted Keep (Theodore). One of the key elements of the successful formula was the interaction with the Dave Seville character, who was rearing three adolescent, talking (and singing) Chipmunks. This sort of interaction between the species stood out as unique in any form of animation. Yuro was nominated for the Grammy Award Best New Artist in 1962. She also sang the title tracks on the 1962 film "Satan Never Sleeps" and the 1968 film "Interlude". The track "Hurt" (1961 version) is on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Casino" a 1995 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorcese.



Film 'Satan never sleeps' click here:
youtu.be/vQoPkdC7NM8
Film 'Interlude' click here:
youtu.be/RA-9bFvPvTY

February 1963 Liberty released their "Timi Yuro The Best Of" LP and "Team Timi" was getting desperate for another big hit. Producer Buddy Killen called up Hank Cochran and told him that they were looking for a song that could be as big as "Hurt". Hank had just written "Make the world go away", and he offered it to Timi. She recorded it a week later and was so excited with the results that she phoned up Cochran at three in the morning and played him the finished recording over the phone. A few days later when she was in Nashville, Timi hand-delivered a copy of the record to its author. Hank thought it was a sure hit, and he played it for his friend Ray Price. Price agreed that it had potential but declared that he could sing it better. He set up his own recording session and duplicated Timi’s arrangement note-for-note. Timi’s version was a Top 30 pop hit while Price’s got to #2 on the country chart. However, when Eddy Arnold released the song two years later, his version became the definitive one. Liberty released "Make the World Go Away", an album with, "Permanently Lonely" and "Are You Sure", both written by Willie Nelson. A great version of Billy Grammer’s "Gotta travel on" did manage to struggle to #64 and was her final hit for Liberty records. "Gotta travel on" was the release that coincided with her first UK tour that teamed Timi with Brook Benton, Dion DiMucci and Lesley Gore. (photo T.Yuro,B.Benton,L.Gore in my photostream) Timi Yuro went to France for a promotional visit after this UK tour, and travelled on to Rome for recording sessions in Italian language.

Yuro was reaching the end of her time with Liberty, and by the end of 1963 she had received an offer from Mercury, but legal wrangles prevented Timi from pacting with Mercury records. Timi Yuro asked the Los Angeles superior court to nullify her contract with Liberty records. Yuro’s attorney said that, in 1960 when the contract was signed, she was a minor, the contract is invalid. Since the contract was signed, her attorney claimed that Liberty have made certain breaches which have invalidated the contract. Forced into borrowing from her mother and close friend Bobby Darin Timi was obliged to pay $30,000 to retrieve her Liberty contract. In 1964, she signed on with Mercury Records and made a string of singles that did not fare well,"If" stalled at number 120. American Scopitone released a film with the song "If". This film features Timi Yuro, the song "If" contains the lyrics "If they made me a King, I’d be but a slave for you,". The song features Timi sing the lyrics while an act out the various scenarios in the lyrics. Yuro disliked the clip, and described the video as stupid. The film was made to be played on the Scopitone audio/visual jukebox that was popular in the mid-1960s. Her third Mercury effort, a rendition of Roy Hamilton's "You Can Have Him," was her only release on the label to crack the Hot 100, limping to the #96 slot in early 1965, but she did record what she considered her finest album, "The Amazing Timi Yuro", this R&B classic is a lush, plush Quincy Jones production all the way. Bobby Scott is the composer- arranger on "All I need is you", "Johnny", "I love my man" and "I’m still around". Teddy Randazzo authored Yuro's next release, the sublime "Get Out of My Life," and while the record was a commercial stiff, its flip side, "Can't Stop Running Away," would later resurface as a favorite of Britain's Northern soul community. In 1965, she travelled all over the UK with Quincy Jones, promoting her records and ended up in Italy to compete in the San Remo Festival. This was the first year in which foreign singers were allowed to enter.


Photo: Timi Yuro 4 LP's. Click on the picture for the track list and "playlist link".

She returned to her Italian origins with the 1965 release "E poi verra 'l' autunno" - "Ti Credo", recorded for entry in Italy's San Remo festival. Timi Yuro reached the half final and won an award for her performance. She also recorded Italian language versions of each side of her than current single "Dammi il tempo" and "Non è come te" ("Can’t stop running away" and "Get out of my life") Timi appeared a second time at the San Remo festival in 1968 and sang "Le solite cose". (see photo's & article in my photostream) The casino of San Remo is the oldest one in Italy, and has always shown a great passion for music. It housed, since it's birth the Italian San Remo festival, the "Domenica" and "Dopofestival" and many more events linked to the festival until 1976. After San Remo festival and a succesful tour of Italy in 1965, Timi and her mother went to visit the town where Edith's father was from by the name of Rochetta al Volturno the birth place of Timi' s parents, she appeared in the public square of Rochetta al Volturno, Campobasso, whence her family emigrated to the U.S. After singing several songs, she received a certificate of honorary citizenship from the mayor.

Timi Yuro San Remo Festival - 45 rpm covers 1965/1968

Timi Yuro photo set San Remo - Italy click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/timiyuro/sets/72157629109832035/

Video 3 songs Timi Yuro San Remo festival click here: youtu.be/XSn4Daf9o5Q

In 1966 Lou Christie announced his engagement to Timi Yuro. (see photo's & article in my photostream) Lou Christie was born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco 1940. Christie had his final hit in 1969 with "I'm gonna make you mine", he proposed to Timi (26 years old) at London Savoy hotel. The wedding scheduled for August 1966, never took place. Lou ultimately married former UK beauty queen Francesca Winfield.

Timi appeared in a black and white Philippines film "Buhay Marino" in 1967, as a guest star with Philippine comedians Dolphy (Rodolfo Quizon) and Panchito (Alfonso Tagle). Yuro appeared in the Philippine movie 'Incognito' 1967 with Bernard Bonnin, Perla Bautista, Ronald Remy. (photo movie posters in my photostream) At that time, the singer was very popular in the Philippines. Yuro sang for a Philippines film with Sonny King an American lounge singer. When the Rat Pack was appearing in the Sands Hotel Copa Room in Las Vegas, Sonny would always be booked into the lounge, he would sometimes substitute for any of the original who may be ill. Rat Pack leader Frank Sinatra gave King the nickname "Lounge Giant". Sinatra asked King to appear appeared in the Rat Pack movies "Sergeants 3", 1962 and "Robin and the Seven Hoods", 1964. King was born Luigi Antonio Schiavone on April 1, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York. He died on February 3, 2006, in Las Vegas, Nevada of cancer, aged 83. Video Timi Yuro & Sonny King click here: youtu.be/3VFLbaOnwJo
Superstar Nora Aunor did the front act at the Araneta Coliseum concert in the Phillipines, of singer Timi Yuro, she had her first public appearance after winning the Tawag ng Tanghalan grand finals. Timi was so fascinated by her golden voice that she wanted her mother to adopt Nora and bring her to the United States, which was out of the question, such a paper would have no legal value, no child could be adopted if bot its parents were living. Nora never regretted having stayed behind because of the succeeding events in her life. Nora Aunor – who started as pinay Timi Yuro – developed in the following decades, showing the impact and influence of American popular entertainment. Nora Aunor, is truly a phenomenon. Timi Yuro was entertaining US troops in Vietnam during the sixties. Photo 109-99 page 2 in my photostream was taken for the troops in Vietnam, Timi disliked the picture!

Disappointed with her general lack of success at Mercury in the American market, and her three-year contract had run its course, she received a personal invitation by Al Bennett, Al and Timi were close friends, and he had some other stuff he wanted her to do, and the opportunity to work with arranger Belford Hendricks again took her back to Liberty. Timi re-signed with Liberty in 1968, "Leaving Liberty was my biggest mistake" she admitted. Yuro record the cult album "Something Bad On My Mind" partly recorded in Londen, though somewhat overproduced, was an underappreciated gem in its time. She really fills the bill on this exceptional album entry, with the two Reed-Mason tunes included, "When he wants a woman" and "I can’t believe I’m losing you". Her own composition "Wrong" is another standout. "Interlude" the title song from the movie with the same name, was issued as a single in 1968 and also included on this album and although never a hit it was one of Timi’s finest-ever recordings, during the recording session, Timi watched the movie as she sang. Despite low sales, the album yielded several tracks later to become cult material for Northern Soul fans, notably her cover of Baby Washington's "It'll never be over for me", she sang as a tribute to her mother.

Timi Yuro "It'll never be over for me" click here: youtu.be/IShTTXwgpLU

By 1969, Timi had performed in venues all over the USA, Europe, Australia and the Orient. A concert LP, "Live at PJ's", coupled with some studio material on side two, was scheduled for release in the summer of 1969 but withdrawn just days prior to hitting retail. Elmer Valentine a former Chicago cop moved to California in1960 and joined with partners from Chicago to open a nightclub called P.J.'s, named after the Manhattan bar P. J. Clarke's. It was the first swinging go Go club in Los Angeles. 8151 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood. Santa Monica Boulevard was gritty and dark. It was West Hollywood's neglected step sister. Train tracks down ran down the center. Unregulated business operated out of reach of L.A.P.D. - the County Sheriff seldom came by. (Today this part of the route is called California State Route 2) P.J.'s (after hours club) opened in February of 1961. The owners aimed to create a late night hot spot that nightclub performers and other Hollywood celebrity types would want to go to after the other clubs closed down. It advertised itself as having fine food, fair price and fantastic jazz. P.J.s' offered a great, cozy jazz atmosphere. There was no cover charge, no minimum and no pretense. P.J.s was a showcase for new music that was hip and happenin' and popular with a younger crowd. Initially, P.J.'s offered a few hip gimmicks, such as - earphones for each guest to listen to his or her favorite stereo record - or a wood burning set to carve your name into the white oak tabletops. P.J.'s had two rooms - the Main Room (back) and, - the Junior Room (front). Progressive jazz was often played in the more intimate front Junior room, which was smaller. P.J'.s was probably the hippest and swingin'est club in town. It had a capacity of 485 people within its two showrooms. April 1969 Timi performed three weeks at P'J's club Los Angeles, and three nights were recorded. When you asked Timi about the project she was largely dismissive of it, commenting that ultimately, she'd been glad the record company had cancelled it's release. She recalled that the lp had been recorded in less than ideal conditions, using what she described as "inferior" recording equipment, in particular, she felt that the gig had been poorly mic'd and they'd sufferd endless technical hitches. There had been a major equipment failure on the first night, which was repeated when they tried to 'save' the project the following night using different recording equipment. In the final analysis three nights were recorded, although it was mastered, "Live at P'J's" was withdrawn at the last minute. Around half the tracks would later appear on an off the wall 1976 release "The Timi Yuro album". Timi is backed by a tight Stax sounding house band, - which she called The Folk on the album - led by bassist Dewey Parker, including three background singers The Warbles, this concert was an entertaining 50-minute show, and Yuro performed with her customary passion. "Live at P'J's" serves as a reminder, and the only recorded testament to her live performances during her heyday. All too often, artistes are over-critical of their own work and Timi is no exception, "Live at P.J.’s" stands as a superb testimony to the power of her live performances at that time. RPM records UK has released in 2000 - digitally remastered - the entire concert album plus outtakes.





Robert Selnick and Timi Yuro met in 1968 while she was performing at the Castaways Hotel in Las Vegas, where Selnick was casino manager. Yuro married William Robert Selnick 10/17/1969 in the little white chapel in Las Vegas, she was dressed in jeans and fur coat, after Yuro got married she moved to Las Vegas and her career took second place to the raising of her daughter Milan, born 5/24/1971, she had two miscarriage prior to that.
Timi Yuro set family photo's click here: www.flickr.com/photos/timiyuro/sets/72157629153258301/

Yuro signed in 1975 with the short-lived Playboy label. Playboy Records was a record label in Los Angeles, California, and a unit of Playboy Enterprises. Hugh Marston Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises. Yuro recorded "Southern Lady" a track which Timi herself didn’t care for,- flipside "Loving you is all I ever had" Timi co-wrote this ballad with record producer Andy Di Martino. Timi was a guest for several days at the "Playboy Mansion", which she enjoyed very much. "Southern Lady" stalled at #108 spot for one week.

In 1979 she recorded for the Frequency Record Corp. in New York. Together with Willie Mitchell, she did – her own two-sider production – a stunning cover of Toussaint McCall's "Nothing Takes the Place of You", flipside "When Something's Wrong with My Baby". Amazingly, she did not know that this recording was in fact released, and told she never received any royalties. Willie Mitchell known at the recording studio as "Papa Willie", was an American soul, R&B, record producer arranger, and owner of Hi Records in Memphis, Tennessee.

Timi Yuro "Nothing takes the place of you" click here: youtu.be/6YcHhBCVc-I

Timi Yuro "When something's wrong with my baby" click here: youtu.be/OL3guX386aQ


Photo: Timi Yuro 4 LP's. Click on the picture for the track list and "playlist link".

The same year Timi Yuro was diagnosed with throat cancer, this was a very tragic moment for her, and a breaking point in her career, but Timi recovered to cut several LP's for the Dutch market, she recorded three albums of material filled with re-recordings of her big hits and solidly delivered cover songs. Released in Holland, these LP’s seldom made it to her fans in the United States. The lp "All alone am I" – Timi Yuro sings sings the hits of the fifties and the sixties on this album – was her huge come back in 1981 in The Netherlands, rushed to the top of the charts, giving Timi a triple platinium lp and two top singles,"Hurt" and " All alone am I". This vinyl lp brought Timi Yuro from nearly forgotten obscurity to major stardom in The Netherlands. The LP "All alone am I" was the #1 album of the year 1981 in Holland. She followed in early 1982 with the LP "I'm Yours", released by Arcade Records, which also topped the charts, as did her single version of the Bobby Helms classic, "You Are My Special Angel". In 1983, Arcade Records released some new Timi treasures "With a Song in My Heart", "Crying in the Chapel", "All in the Game" and "I Love You for Sentimental Reasons". These songs released on the LP "For Sentimental Reasons" turned out to be the very last new Yuro recordings she would ever record and some of the hardest to still obtain.

Yuro's final stab at the big time came via old friend Willie Nelson. (photo Timi Yuro and Willie Nelson at his studio, in my photostream) The songstress had met Nelson during the early 1960s when he was still a struggling country songwriter, the free diners that Edith Yuro gladly served up for her daughter's pal kept the songwriter from starving in his lean years. – Back in 1963 Timi had helped Willie out by including his songs "Are you sure" and "Permanently lonely" on her album "Make the world go away"–. Nelson never forgot the kindness he was shown. In December 1981, upon learning that Yuro couldn't get financing for an album "Timi Yuro Today", Willie offered to record her at his studio. "He paid for everything," Yuro told "He let me stay there and I did that whole album there." Her album of Willie Nelson songs – released 1982 – was said to be the most emotionally charged of her career. The relief and joy that she felt at actually being able to sing again. The vinyl album "Timi Yuro Today", was reissued as a cd in 1991on her own T.R.M.I label, remastered and remixed by Yuro herself and titled "Timi Yuro Sings Willie Nelson", with 2 compositions with Willie called "There’s a way" and "Did I ever love you", even the sound overall on this cd is different than the original 1982 album, and remains perhaps her rarest release. The cd received a limited release on a mail order only basis.

cd- Timi Yuro sings Willie Nelson, T.R.M.I. Inc. 1991 (Timi Yuro's own label)
click here: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL13EACD4CAD1E1ACA

May '85 she was forced to undergo a tracheotomy operation, effectly ending her singing career. She lost a part of a lung in 1997, in 2002 her whole vocal box was removed, that was devastating for Timi Yuro, now she was only able to write notes, valiantly she fought cancer, but she succumbed to braincancer. Timi Yuro passed away on March 30, 2004. There was no viewing or funeral ceremony for Yuro, she wanted people to remember as she was prior to her illness. Her ashes are scattered over her parents' grave in Cicero, Illinois. Her voice will never be stilled. Timi Yuro was one of the most powerful, passionate, committed and emotional singers ever put on record. Her idol Dinah Washington said of her, "Timi's voice doesn't come from her throat, but from her heart. She doesn't just sing the song, she lives it". When the "Queen of the Blues" died in 1963, Timi Yuro sang "The Lord’s prayer" at her funeral at St. Luke’s Church in Chicago. Timi described herself as, "'A stylist rather than a popsinger, a stylist is a real singer who has their own particular bag. It may take longer to get your particular style over, but in the end it's wort it".

Timi Yuro rarely interviewed, she remains a figure of mystery. We may never know just why the pain and heartbreak in her voice sounded so genuine. Yet, any lonely person hearing Timi Yuro's work feels that she knows them, and they know her, completely.

Timi Yuro's work is admired in the United States as well as in Europe, Philippines and Asia.




Quote:
My greatest pleasure on earth was to go on stage and be sad, and when people would applaud it was the greatest thing in the world for me. Just going out there and crying and singing a song... it wasn't just to blow people away: it was to give them the truth of me. People accepted it and they would scream and clap, and that made me feel like a giant.
Timi Yuro.

Timi Yuro born August 4, 1940 d. March 30, 2004 63 years
William Robert Selnick born February 8, 1939 d. August 26, 2007 68 years
Edith Yuro born July 4, 1915 d. October 1, 1989 74 years.
Louis Yuro born June 7, 1909 d. July 1, 1979 70 years.

________________________________________________________________________

Albums Timi Yuro, lp tracks and "playlist link" are mentioned in my photostream.

LP- Timi Yuro Hurt, Liberty, 1961
LP- Soul, Liberty, 1962
LP- Let Me Call You Sweetheart, Liberty, 1962
LP- What's a Matter Baby, Liberty, 1963
LP- Make the World Go Away, Liberty, 1963
LP- The best of, Liberty, 1963
LP- The Amazing, Mercury, 1964
LP- Timi Yuro, Sunset, 1966
LP- In the Beginning, Liberty, 1968
LP- Interlude (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Colgems, 1968
LP- Something Bad on My Mind, Liberty, 1968
LP- The Timi Yuro Album (live at P.J.'s) Liberty, 1969
45 rpm Southern Lady, Playboy, 1975
45 rpm Nothing Takes the Place of You, Frequency 1979
LP- All Alone Am I, Dureco, 1981
LP- I'm Yours, Arcade, 1982
LP- Today, Ariola, 1982
LP- For Sentimental Reasons, Arcade, 1983


Photo: Timi Yuro 45 rpm / ep covers.

45 rpm / rare records / ep’s - tracks mentioned are non-lp releases. All tracks are uploaded on You Tube channel: TimiYuroFriends.
click here: www.youtube.com/user/TimiYuroFriends

Timi Yuro & Johnnie Ray "Up above my head, i hear music in the air" and "You can't get away from me" 1962, are never released, except on the Johnnie Ray Yes tonight Josephine boxset.
Timi Yuro Spanish "Herida" 1962
Timi Yuro Spanish "Sola mente una vez" 1962
Timi Yuro "Thirteenth hour" 1962
Timi Yuro "Down in the valley" 1963
Timi Yuro "Look down" 1963
Timi Yuro "Just about the time" 1963
Timi Yuro "Call me" 1964
Timi Yuro "Big mistake" 1965
Timi Yuro "You can have him" 1965
Timi Yuro "Could this be magic" 1965
Timi Yuro "Can't stop running away" 1965
Timi Yuro Italian "Dolore" 1965 (vinyl ep)
Timi Yuro Italian "Tu vedi lei" 1965 (vinyl ep)
Timi Yuro Italian "Non e' come te" 1965
Timi Yuro Italian "Dammi il tempo" 1965
Timi Yuro Italian "E poi verra ‘l’autunno" 1965
Timi Yuro Italian "Ti credo" 1965
Timi Yuro "Turn the world around" 1966
Timi Yuro "Once a day" 1966
Timi Yuro "Just a ribbon" 1966
Timi Yuro "Why not now" 1967
Timi Yuro "Cuttin' in" 1967
Timi Yuro Italian "Le solite cose" 1968
Timi Yuro "Southern lady" 1975
Timi Yuro "Loving you is all i ever had" 1975
Timi Yuro "Wings of inspiration" 1976 (vinyl ep)
Timi Yuro "Two different worlds" 1976 (vinyl ep)
Timi Yuro "It's only a daydream" 1976 (vinyl ep)
Timi Yuro "Nothing takes the place of you" 1979
Timi Yuro "When something is wrong with my baby" 1979
Timi Yuro "Don't keep me lonely too long" 1979



Photo's: Timi Yuro 20 cd covers.

Recommended cd's:
cd- All Alone Am I, Dureco, 1988
cd- Préférences, Liberty 1990
cd- Timi Yuro sings Willie Nelson, T.R.M.I. Inc. 1991 (Timi Yuro's own label)
cd- The very best of, Arcade 1991
cd- The best of, Liberty, 1992
cd- The Lost Voice of Soul, RPM, 1993.
cd- The Voice That Got Away, RPM, 1996.
cd- The Timi Yuro Album, EMI, 1996.
cd- The Unique Sound of, MCPS, 1997.
cd- Timi Yuro sings Willie Nelson, Castle Communications PLC, 1997
cd- The Best Of, EMI, 2000
cd- Live at PJ's, Liberty, RPM, 2000
cd- What's a Matter Baby, Liberty, RPM, 2004
cd- The Mercury Years, Universal, 2005.
cd- Very Best of, EMI Gold, 2006.



Video Timi Yuro live - 2 television commercials 1982 & 1983,
click here: www.flickr.com/photos/timiyuro/6038012956/
Video Timi Yuro live 3 songs Ed Sullivan show 1962
click here: youtu.be/SM6i0B8d9g4

TIMI YURO TELEVISION SHOW APPEARANCES:
*Year unknown
Clay Cole show* usa / Steve Allen show 1962 usa / Lloyd Thaxton show * usa / Several appearances on television Philiphines * / 2x Ed Sullivan show 1962 usa / The Alvin show 1962 usa / Smiley's show 1962 usa / 3x American Bandstand usa 1x 1962-2x 1963 / Weekend with Jerry Lester 1963 usa / Perry Como show 1963 usa / Ray Anthony show 1963 usa / Ready Steady Go 1963 UK / Eamonn Andrews show "This Is Your Life" BBC 1962 or '63 UK / Johnny Carson show several appearances 1 show in colour * usa / Mike Douglas show 1964 / Bobby Rydell special 1964 usa / Hollywood a go go 1965 usa / Shivaree 1965 usa / 2x San Remo festival 1965 and 1968 and a televised special Timi Yuro Italy 1965 / Timi Yuro taped in Rome-Italy 3 tv appearances aug. 1965 / Channel 5 Casey show Los Angeles usa 1965 / Jim Dale show 1966 usa / Thank you Lucky Stars 1966 UK / British Independent TV Network several tv spots 1966 UK / Sunday Night at the Palladium 1968 UK / March 23th 1968 Timi filmed segments for the Italian TV included a 15 min. show / The Orient-during an 30 day tour appearances on several tv shows 1974 / 24 hour television show "Teleton" benefit Las Vegas 1979 / Dutch television 1x 1981-6x 1982-tv spots 1x 1982 and 1x 1983 The Netherlands / German television 1982 Germany / March of Dimes a benefit for handicapped children july 1984 Hollywood usa.
Note: This is not a complete list of Timi's tv work, she appeared on many tv-shows worldwide during her career.
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