Irene Daye had one of the more memorable voices of the Big Band Era. She got her start at the age of 17 with Jan Murphy's band while still attending high school. She eventually left school and joined Mal Hallett's outfit for a short time before entering the limelight with Gene Krupa's Orchestra.
Daye sang for Krupa from 1938 to 1941 and added her vocals to over 60 songs. Her biggest hit was "Drum Boogie" which was recorded in the last session she did with Krupa's Orchestra. She left shortly after to marry Corky Cornelius from the Casa Loma Orchestra and briefly retired from music to focus on family life and raising her daughter.
Listen to Irene Daye's vocals in "Drum Boogie" by Gene Krupa.
In late 1943, Cornelius died suddenly of kidney failure and Irene Daye decided to resume her singing career. In 1944, Daye landed with another big name from the era, Charlie Spivak. She sang with Charlie Spivak's Orchestra for about six years then married Charlie in 1950. She later retired from performing and focused on managing her husband's band until her death in 1971.
You can hear many of the songs Irene sang right here on Swing City Radio.
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