09 April 2007

Jana Louise - step dance singer from Boston?

Jana recorded one LP and a few 45's for Dot in 1964/65.
The LP has my special interest as it contains all John D. Loudermilk penned songs. John D. remembers the album, but has not met her back then, and doesn't have additional info on Jana, he told me.

What happened since then, where is Jana now? Who is this Jana?
I think Louise is her middle name and she might have been Jana Jensen, Jana Pedersen, Jana Rasmussen or whatever, her father was Danish. She must have been born circa 1944 and grew up in Boston.

Listen to Jana's "They'll Love You", a C&W up-tempo song. Jana's voice is a little sharp, I would say. A little more sweet, gentle or versatile sound in her voice would have given her songs a lot more appeal.

All the info I got about this singer is from the liner notes of her 1964 Dot-label LP "A dixie cup of sand".

From the liner notes:
A sparkling newcomer as a bright new star. Her first professional engagement took place in one of Boston's larger ballrooms at the age of 15 when she was hired for 2 weeks as a replacement. Jana stayed the 2 weeks... and the management added 102 consecutive weeks to the booking.
Jana also had a talent for Irish step-dancing: Jana won over 100 medals and trophies competing throughout the US. Highlight: being acclaimed as national intermediate champion for 2 successive years.
Add to this her skill with the fife and piano, and one realizes that "America's sweetheart" is synonymous with lovely Jana.
Jana's mother is from County Mayo, Ireland, her father a native of Copenhagen, Denmark. She has won several beauty crowns - among them the title of "Miss Shamrock" at the international Auto Show, an also that of "Colleen", which she received for greeting the first travelers to board the newest BOAC jet on its maiden flight from Boston.
Last year, the 19-year-old star appeared at Carnegie Hall, performed with Gordon McRae during a concert in Boston, and sang in well-known ballrooms in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.
A stint at the Berkeley School of Music convinced Jana that professional training is just a simportant as professional experience. With this in mind she plans to enter the American Academy of Dramatic Arts of New York to prepare her for musical comedy, which she aspires.

Who can me tell more about the singer? What was her career after 1965?

Discography, on Dot record label:
45-16618 1964 Dixie Cup Of Sand / Up To My Knees In Happiness
45-16659 1964 Dream Of Him / Paper Doll Harem
45-16718 1965 Goin' Downtown / The Heart I Have To Live With
45-16736 1965 A Boy Like You / Dream Boy (click to play)

DLP-3598/25598 -A Dixie Cup Of Sand [1964]
Side 1: Why Not / The Crying Kind / Up To My Knees In Happiness / They'll Love You / The Heart I Have To Live With / You're Jealous
Side 2: A Dixie Cup Of Sand / Goin' Down Town / Dream Of Him / A Paper Doll Harem / The Little Wind Up Doll / The Magic Circle.

Update:
I received mails from Jana's family.
Jana was born Janice Louise Hansen. Besides her releases on DOT, she did not record any more. She taught Irish dancing for a number of years, and only sings at family functions and charity events. She lives near Boston. She has three kids and her husband is a retired pilot.

6 comments :

Unknown said...

I have to ask... a friend of mine has desperately been searching for the song "The Little Wind-Up Doll" by Jana Louise. Is there any way to get the mp3? This is her parent's song, and the vinyl they had was unfortunately broken. By all means, email me at GLantern3601@sbcglobal.net. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Wow ! Sensational ! I Do POWERPLAY on my webradio for Jana with WHY NOT from the australian CD "Songs by Loudermilk, sung by others" !
A Brillant, deep goin' tune ! What is there in the Ranwood Archives (Dot) They should release that on Collectable !!
See You
Jens Bohn
www.memoryhits.com here you go in connection to my 24 hrs Oldie-Program

Anonymous said...

Kees.........
How can I get the songs from the Jana Louise album ???
Thanks & Chairs,
LICKABLE HUNK

Kees said...

answer to "Anonym. Lick. Hunk":...
Album is not released on cd (yet). Album is now and then offered second hand at fair prices.

Unknown said...

I am Jana's daughter. She is an amazing person/ mother/grandmother.. and I am trying to get her music on line. Will keep you posted.

Kees said...

Thank you Jana's daughter!