Kate Smith
Commonly known as The Songbird of the South, Kathryn Elizabeth Smith (born on
May 1st, 1907) was an American singer, actress, and radio personality whose
rendition of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” remains forever etched in the
US popular consciousness. Despite never having taken singing lessons, Smith
gained notoriety in amateur nights at vaudeville theaters before landing her big
first role on the Broadway revue Honeymoon Lane in 1926. Following a
participation in Vincent Youmans’ Hit The Deck, the singer was discovered by
Columbia A&R executive Ted Collins, who decided to...
