Record Mirror Largest selling colour pop weekly newspaper 6d. 

THE GIRL WITH A LAUGH IN HER VOICE 

No. 346 Every Thursday. Week ending October 28, 1967 

WITH the death of Alma Cogan, a year ago this week (Oct. 26) went not only one of the brightest and most successful recording stars produced in Britain, but a girl on whom the much abused and overused title “Miss Showbusiness" would have been most applicable. 

To many Alma was "The girl with a laugh in her voice”; to her fans she was the "Personality Kid” and to her critics the ‘giggle' was a deliberate attempt to disguise the fact that her vocal range did not extend to the upper registers. What was not widely known or appreciated was that Alma was a vocalist of exceptional quality who could belt the blues, swing the standards and possessed a voice that was capable of caressing and coaxing every ounce of meaning from a lyric.  Not only was Alma such a fine singer but some of her best recorded efforts were songs written by Weston and Forest — pen names of Alma and her musical arranger/pianist, Stan Foster. 

When a label such as "Miss Showbusiness” is bestowed upon a performer surely it is not too much to expect of the artiste concerned that she should prove herself as versatile as the title suggests?

 Alma had the voice, looks, personality and acting and clowning talent to add weight to this claim.  Not recognized in that Alma was in fact Britain's first truly international female star.  Can any current British girl singer claim to have a gold disc awarded for million plus sales of a Japanese disc? Sung "Mack the Knife" in Swahili? Topped the hit parades in Germany, Sweden, Israel and Britain etc. any number of times in a career spanning over ten Years at the peak of her profession? 

The girl claiming the honour of being "Miss Showbusiness” must, apart from achievements like these which rank high in the disc world, have a 'star' image.  Only Alma could walk on stage in an ostrich feather gown, have ‘an attack of the giggle' and get away with it. "Miss Showbusiness’ must also bridge every form of the very profession she so boldly dares to call herself and establish herself as a firm favourite with other members of it from all the spheres of entertainment it encompasses. A random sampling brings the names of the Beatles, Noel Coward, Frankie Vaughan and Stanley Baker instantly to mind.  To these world class stars the name Alma was synonymous with “Miss Showbusiness". 

But, above all, Alma was everything that was good in showbusiness. The show had to go on.  In sickness or in health Alma was on that stage, never failing to make her audience happy, with the sheer warmth and gaiety she generated. When the first signs of illness started to show, Alma insisted on a Scandinavian tour following her hit parade-  topping success with the un-  released-in-Britain "Birds and the Bees".  So ill was Alma that she collapsed during her act and had to be flown back to England and admitted to hospital—but not before she had done her utmost to please the fans who had paid to see her. 

My fondest memory of Alma dates back to 1963.  I had rung her arranging an interview, explaining that I was hoping to establish myself as a freelance pop music reporter. Alma, very naturally, asked me to which paper I planned to submit any possible outcome of such an interview. Having the week before had one with Connie Francis published in the Record Mirror I told her this was the paper of my choice. What I failed to mention was that I had no authority from the Record Mirror to suggest that I was acting on its behalf. 

Alma arranged for me to conduct the interview at her Kensington apartment the following Saturday.

She was out when I called but her mother, Fay, let me in explaining that Alma had told her I was calling and was to make me feel at home. That was at 9.30 a.m. Half an hour later, breathless, but looking radiant, Alma returned apologising profusely for having kept me waiting so long.  She had been tied up with an early morning call at the BBC Shepherds Bush television studios.  She had to get back immediately, but would I mind conducting the interview in the taxicab on the way to the BBC centre and during rehearsals?  This we promptly proceeded to do. 

What I had thought was to be a quick ten-minute question and answer session turned out to be a five-hour 'discussion'. 

The actual impression Alma left on me during the interview was that of a sincere, dedicated performer, and one who went through her songs over and over until she felt she had achieved what she was aiming for professionalism. But the professionalism with the hint of spontaneity all too often lacking in others seeking perfection. 

The impression which came after was one which no other artiste could equal.  Having completed the interview and thanked Alma for the time she had so willingly given, I typed out what I considered to be a good, 'different’ account of Alma Cogan the artiste. 

The then editor of the Record Mirror (J. Watson), in no uncertain fashion, told me what I could do with my interview and that at no future time should I dare give the paper's name in vain. 

His grounds were very understandable.  Just 24 hours earlier Alma Cogan had given HALF AN HOUR to a reporter who, as she had been previously informed, was interviewing her for definite inclusion in the following week's Record Mirror.  Alma Cogan will be sorely missed, but the memories will go on. Last month Columbia EMI released her last recorded items on an album titled simply ‘Alma’ An EMI representative has informed me that its sales have been staggering. It is fitting. Every aspect of Alma's voice is contained on it complete with giggle, personality, pathos, tears and laughter.  A worthy candidate for inclusion in the top LPs of the decade by a female vocalist and one that is expected from "Miss Showbusiness" 

RON ROBERTS