There's no way
Keely Smith will ever be able to escape the long shadow of
Louis Prima, whose fourth wife she was and who led the band where she found her greatest fame. Heard apart from
Prima, she was a fantastic vocalist, the equal of more respected singers like
Chris Connor or
Helen Merrill, who were working a much different circuit than
Smith during the late '50s and early '60s.
The Essential Capitol Collection is an excellent way to survey
Keely Smith's early career; it includes 27 songs, including much of her several LPs for the label, as well as her most popular duets with
Prima and two with
Frank Sinatra. ~ John Bush