American singer, lyricist, composer, and actress. She was born in North Dakota, USA. She began her artistic career, which spanned six decades, by singing on local radio and singing with Benny Goodman’s band. She also released music albums and recited poetry. She is known for Jasper and the Beanstalk (1945), The Jazz Singer (1952), and Pete Kelly's Blues (1955). She was a guest on the cooking program, Hudson & Halls (1976). Her songs were heard in a number of artistic works during the third millennium, such as King Kong (2005) and Gangster Squad (2013).