Artist: Julie London

Julie London was an American singer and actress whose career spanned more than 40 years. A torch singer noted for her sultry, languid contralto  vocals, London recorded over thirty albums of pop and jazz standards between 1955 and 1969. Her recording of "Cry Me a River", a track she introduced on her debut album, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.

London was spotted singing at a jazz club in Los Angeles by record producer Simon Waronker, who was recommended to her by her friend (and future husband) Bobby Troup. Despite her notable stage fright, Waronker was impressed by London's vocals and delivery, and later recalled that "The lyrics poured out of her like a hurt bird."  Waronker convinced London to pursue a recording career and signed her with Liberty Records. 

London recorded 32 albums in a career that began in 1955 with a live performance at the 881 Club in Los Angeles. Her debut album Julie Is Her Name was released in December of that year, and Billboard  named her the most popular female vocalist for 1955, 1956, and 1957. She was the subject of a 1957 Life cover article in which she was quoted as saying "It's only a thimbleful of a voice, and I have to use it close to the microphone. But it is a kind of over smoked voice, and it automatically sounds intimate." 

London recorded the standards "Don't Worry About Me", "Motherless Child", "A Foggy Day", and "You're Blasé". "Cry Me a River", London's most famous single, was written by her high-school classmate  Arthur Hamilton and produced by Troup. The recording became a million-seller after its release on her debut album in 1955. 

In 1960, London released the album Julie...At Home, which was recorded at her residence in Los Angeles. The same year, she released Around Midnight, which incorporated a larger backing band in comparison to her previous releases. She released numerous albums on Liberty Records throughout the 1960s, including  Whatever Julie Wants (1961), Love Letters (1962), The End of the World (1963), and All Through the Night (1965), the latter a collection of songs by Cole Porter. 

Further information about Julie London is found here.