Nightclub Vocalist
tagStarted c. 1935Peak 1950–1968Last big hit c. 1969
Located in 1 route
Nightclub Vocalist is showbusiness standards singing built for live rooms: poised, charismatic, rhythm-aware, and ready to move between confession, patter, and applause lines. The sound can be orchestral or combo-based, but the key is a performer who commands the room as host as much as singer.
History
This style grew alongside supper clubs, casino rooms, and television specials, where singers were expected to project ease, wit, and command beyond the purely musical; Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Bobby Darin, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, and Judy Garland all exemplified nightclub vocalism in different ways, helping define the adult entertainment culture of mid-century America and Las Vegas.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica on Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra
- Wikipedia, “Crooner.”