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Jane Olivor, an American cabaret singer born May 18, 1947, pursued a career that caused her to be compared favorably to such music-world public figures as Barbra Streisand and to the chanteuse Édith Piaf during the 1970s. But personal and professional setbacks almost ruined her career. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Barbra Joan Streisand (born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, theatre and film actress, composer, liberal political activist, film producer and director. ... Chanson (French for song) refers to any song with French words, but more specifically classic, lyric-driven French songs, European songs in the cabaret style, or a diverse range of songs interpreted in this style. ... Edith Piaf Édith Piaf (December 19, 1915 - October 11, 1963) was one of Frances most beloved singers, with much success shortly before and during World War II. Her music reflected her tragic life, with her specialty being the poignant ballad presented with a heartbreaking voice. ...

Background

The singer who was born Linda Cohen to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York grew up admiring the chanteuse Édith Piaf and decided to pursue a career as a cabaret torch singer modeled on that of Piaf. Renaming herself Jane Olivor after Piaf had inspired her to become a French-style cabaret torch singer, she became known, notably among the gay community, for her interpretations of famous songs such as "Some Enchanted Evening" from the Broadway musical South Pacific and the Fleetwood Mac's 1959 chart selection "Come Softly to Me." She often used these songs as highly personal statements on venues at New York City nightclubs like the Greenwich Village nightclub and Reno Sweeney's. It was in Reno Sweeney's club, whose owner and proprietor at the time was a certain Lewis Friedman, that she was discovered. Indeed, at her very first performance on its stage, Clive Davis, then President of the Columbia Records label, was in the audience. Being inexperienced, she knew herself not to be fully prepared--one factor was that she did not really know the capabilities of her own voice. The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... For other meanings, see Brooklyn (disambiguation). ... Chanson (French for song) refers to any song with French words, but more specifically classic, lyric-driven French songs, European songs in the cabaret style, or a diverse range of songs interpreted in this style. ... Edith Piaf Édith Piaf (December 19, 1915 - October 11, 1963) was one of Frances most beloved singers, with much success shortly before and during World War II. Her music reflected her tragic life, with her specialty being the poignant ballad presented with a heartbreaking voice. ... Edith Piaf Édith Piaf (December 19, 1915 - October 11, 1963) was one of Frances most beloved singers, with much success shortly before and during World War II. Her music reflected her tragic life, with her specialty being the poignant ballad presented with a heartbreaking voice. ... Edith Piaf Édith Piaf (December 19, 1915 - October 11, 1963) was one of Frances most beloved singers, with much success shortly before and during World War II. Her music reflected her tragic life, with her specialty being the poignant ballad presented with a heartbreaking voice. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... This article is about the stage musical. ... This article is about the band. ... The Washington Square Arch Greenwich Village (IPA pronunciation: ), also called simply the Village, is a largely residential area on the west side of downtown (southern) Manhattan in New York City named after Greenwich, London. ... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ...

The beginnings of Olivor's discography

She became noticeable enough for the Columbia Records label and the William Morris Agency to sign her, with her debut album, First Night, released in 1976. In September 1977 her second album, Chasing Rainbows, was released. This album reached the Top 100 bestsellers, remaining in the charts for three months. Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... Founded in 1898, the William Morris Agency was the largest diversified talent and literary agency in the world, with offices in New York, Beverly Hills, Nashville, Miami, London, and Shanghai. ...

Olivor's earliest success

Stay The Night would follow in the spring of 1978, followed by The Best Side Of Goodbye in the winter of 1980.

Olivor's theme

One favorite amongst her audiences became "Stay The Night," the title selection from the album Stay The Night, which Susan Casazza and Norman Dolph wrote and composed specifically for her. "Stay The Night" became Olivor's signature song and hence deserving of the subtitle "Olivor's Theme."

Oddly, many people repeatedly misspelled her stage name as Jane Oliver rather than Jane Olivor, even during this period.

"Manchild Lullaby"

One particularly interesting selection from The Best Side Of Goodbye is "Manchild Lullaby," with which Stephen Schwartz, who later composed the music and rewrote the lyrics to John-Michael Tebelak's Godspell, enriched her repertoire. Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theater lyricist and composer. ... John-Michael Tebelak (November 1, 1949—April 2, 1985) was an American playwright and director and graduate of Berea High School in Berea, Ohio. ...

In between these two releases, Olivor found herself busy with concerts. She also toured as a special guest of Johnny Mathis and sang, with him, the duet "The Last Time I Felt Like This," the theme from the 1978 film Same Time, Next Year; this she and Mathis sang at the televised Oscar ceremony. John Royce Mathis (b. ...

Career Setbacks

But her own stage fright, nervousness at the sudden on rush of fame, and numerous unfavorable experiences with the music industry caused Olivor to take a one-year hiatus from both performing and the heavy pressures of her too-fast fame. Alas, that hiatus ended up being extended to nearly ten years when her husband, very shortly after they married, was diagnosed with cancer. Olivor put her career on hold to care for him until his death in 1986. In the meantime, she had disputes with the Columbia Records label over money. Olivor did not return to performing till 1993, when she discovered that, throughout her absence, her fanbase had remained loyal to her.

Resuming Public Performances

Gradually, Olivor became more active, and in 2000 her first album in many years, Love Decides, was released, followed in 2001 by Songs Of The Season. In June of 2004, Columbia Records released her greatest hits collection, titled The Best Of Jane Olivor. It is a compilation of her best-known songs, including the Academy Award-nominated song The Last Time I Felt Like This with Johnny Mathis. This is the first time this duet has been issued on a Jane Olivor album. John Royce Mathis (b. ...

Charities and Public Services

Jane Olivor is a staunch supporter of animal rights, and she often endorses the efforts of the Marin Humane Society. For the album by Moby, see Animal Rights (album). ...

Filmography

• Saturday Night at the Baths, released in 1975, in which she was billed as Janie Olivor, stage performer

Jane Olivor's "The best of .." album cover

Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Discography

The following albums represent Jane Olivor's known discography on the Columbia Records label.

• First Night, released in 1976, is Jane Olivor's debut album.
• Chasing Rainbows, released in 1977
• Stay The Night, released in 1978, contains Jane Olivor's signature song, "Stay The Night."
• The Best Side Of Goodbye, released in 1980, includes "Manchild Lullaby."
• Jane Olivor In Concert, released in 1982, contains a version of "Stay The Night," Jane Olivor's signature song, that many of her fans believe surpasses even the version on Safe Return.
• So Fine, released in 1995
• Love Decides, released in 2000
• Songs Of The Season, released in 2001
• Safe Return, released in 2004, is a concert album that spans her entire career.
• The Best Of Jane Olivor, released in 2004, is a collection of Jane Olivor's greatest.

Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Official site
• An Interview With Jane Olivor