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{{short description|American singer-songwriter|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{short description|American singer-songwriter|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{distinguish|text=the actress [[Carol Connors (actress)|Carol Connors]]}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
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==Biography==
==Biography==
===Early life===
===Early life===
Connors was born '''Annette Kleinbard''' on November 13, 1941, in [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick]].<ref name="jerusalempost">Liami Lawrence, [http://www.jpost.com/Arts-and-Culture/Entertainment/From-Elvis-to-Rocky-the-charmed-life-of-Carol-Connors-346307 From Elvis to ‘Rocky’ – the charmed life of Carol Connors], ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]'', March 24, 2014</ref> Her parents were [[Polish Jew]]s.<ref name="jerusalempost"/> She lost many relatives in [[the Holocaust]].<ref name="jerusalempost"/> She attended [[Fairfax High School (Los Angeles, California)|Fairfax High School]] in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="jerusalempost"/>
Connors was born '''Annette Kleinbard''' on November 13, 1941, in [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick]], [[New Jersey]].<ref name="jerusalempost">Liami Lawrence, [http://www.jpost.com/Arts-and-Culture/Entertainment/From-Elvis-to-Rocky-the-charmed-life-of-Carol-Connors-346307 From Elvis to ‘Rocky’ – the charmed life of Carol Connors], ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]'', March 24, 2014</ref> Her parents were [[Polish Jew]]s.<ref name="jerusalempost"/> She lost many relatives in [[the Holocaust]].<ref name="jerusalempost"/> She attended [[Fairfax High School (Los Angeles, California)|Fairfax High School]] in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="jerusalempost"/>


===Career===
===Career===
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| location= London
| location= London
| page= 61
| page= 61
| id= CN 5585}}</ref> After their initial hit, the trio disbanded because of the failure of their follow-up [[single (music)|singles]], and the fact that Spector preferred working behind the scenes to performing.
| id= CN 5585}}</ref> After their initial hit, the trio disbanded because of the failure of their follow-up [[single (music)|singles]], a car accident that injured Annette, and the fact that Spector preferred working behind the scenes to performing.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}


Some years later she legally changed her name to Carol Connors. She co-wrote (with [[Ayn Robbins]] and [[Bill Conti]]) "[[Gonna Fly Now]]", the [[theme song]] from the film ''[[Rocky]]'', which earned her an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nomination.<ref name="jerusalempost"/> Carol Connors sang the theme to the film ''[[Orca (1977 film)|Orca]]'', called "We Are One".
Some years later she legally changed her name to Carol Connors, because she did not want her first name to be associated with Mousketeer Annette Funicello. {{citation needed|date=September 2023}} She co-wrote (with [[Ayn Robbins]] and [[Bill Conti]]) "[[Gonna Fly Now]]", the [[theme song]] from the film ''[[Rocky]]'', which earned her an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nomination.<ref name="jerusalempost"/> Carol Connors sang the theme to the film ''[[Orca (1977 film)|Orca]]'', called "We Are One".


Other songwriting credits include [[the Rip Chords]]' 1964 hit "[[Hey Little Cobra]]", plus the 1980 [[Billy Preston]]/[[Syreeta Wright]] [[duet (music)|duet]] "[[With You I'm Born Again]]"; the 1994 title track "For All Mankind" on the debut album of Italian singer Guendalina Cariaggi, which was used as the theme song for a documentary produced by Pier Quinto and [[Lara Saint Paul|Lara Cariaggi]], on the legends of soccer and the [[FIFA World Cup]];<ref>{{cite web|author=Army Archerd |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117862500.html?categoryid=2&cs=1 |title='Affair' looks to duplicate O.J. drama |publisher=Variety |date=June 2, 1994|access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref> for "Madonna in the Mirror", the finale song on [[A&E Network|A&E]]'s ''15 Films About [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'';<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0912604/|title=15 Films About Madonna |website=IMDb.com|access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref> and three songs – "Condi, Condi", "I Think of You so Fondly", and "Chill, Condi, Chill" – for [[Courting Condi]] (2008).
Other songwriting credits include [[the Rip Chords]]' 1964 hit "[[Hey Little Cobra]]", plus the 1980 [[Billy Preston]]/[[Syreeta Wright]] [[duet (music)|duet]] "[[With You I'm Born Again]]"; the 1994 title track "For All Mankind" on the debut album of Italian singer Guendalina Cariaggi, which was used as the theme song for a documentary produced by Pier Quinto and [[Lara Saint Paul|Lara Cariaggi]], on the legends of soccer and the [[FIFA World Cup]];<ref>{{cite web|author=Army Archerd |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117862500.html?categoryid=2&cs=1 |title='Affair' looks to duplicate O.J. drama |publisher=Variety |date=June 2, 1994|access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref> for "Madonna in the Mirror", the finale song on [[A&E Network|A&E]]'s ''15 Films About [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'';<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0912604/|title=15 Films About Madonna |website=IMDb.com|access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref> and three songs – "Condi, Condi", "I Think of You so Fondly", and "Chill, Condi, Chill" – for ''[[Courting Condi]]'' (2008).


Connors also wrote and performed songs for several films. The 1967 [[Beach party film|beach-party film]] ''[[Catalina Caper]]'' features her song "Book of Love" (not to be confused with [[the Book of Love (The Monotones song)|the Monotones' song]]), co-written with [[Roger Christian (songwriter)|Roger Christian]], which she performed backed by the [[The Cascades (band)|Cascades]]. She co-composed three songs for the soundtrack of the 1977 [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] film, ''[[The Rescuers#Soundtrack|The Rescuers]]'': "Tomorrow Is Another Day", "The Journey" and "Someone's Waiting for You". In 1983 Connors was nominated for a [[3rd Golden Raspberry Awards|Golden Raspberry Award]], for the 'Worst Original Song' for "It's Wrong for Me to Love You", from ''[[Butterfly (1982 film)|Butterfly]]'', which she co-composed with [[Ennio Morricone]].
Connors also wrote and performed songs for several films. The 1967 [[Beach party film|beach-party film]] ''[[Catalina Caper]]'' features her song "Book of Love" (not to be confused with [[the Book of Love (The Monotones song)|the Monotones' song]]), co-written with [[Roger Christian (songwriter)|Roger Christian]], which she performed backed by the [[The Cascades (band)|Cascades]]. She co-composed (with [[Ayn Robbins]]) three songs for the soundtrack of the 1977 [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] film, ''[[The Rescuers#Soundtrack|The Rescuers]]'': "Tomorrow Is Another Day", "The Journey" and "Someone's Waiting for You". In 1983 Connors was nominated for a [[3rd Golden Raspberry Awards|Golden Raspberry Award]], for the 'Worst Original Song' for "It's Wrong for Me to Love You", from ''[[Butterfly (1982 film)|Butterfly]]'', which she co-composed with [[Ennio Morricone]].


In 2011, she skydived and performed a concert to raise awareness for the [[Wounded Warrior Project]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/07/03/rocky-songwriter-raises-awareness-for-wounded-warriors/ |title="Rocky" Songwriter Raises Awareness For Wounded Warriors « CBS Miami |website=Miami.cbslocal.com |date=July 3, 2011 |access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref>
In 2011, she skydived and performed a concert to raise awareness for the [[Wounded Warrior Project]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/07/03/rocky-songwriter-raises-awareness-for-wounded-warriors/ |title="Rocky" Songwriter Raises Awareness For Wounded Warriors « CBS Miami |website=Miami.cbslocal.com |date=July 3, 2011 |access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref>
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She testified at the [[O. J. Simpson]] trial in 1995. She had seen Simpson at a charity event the night before his ex-wife's murder.
She testified at the [[O. J. Simpson]] trial in 1995. She had seen Simpson at a charity event the night before his ex-wife's murder.


==Selected discography==
== Discography==
*"My Diary" 1961
*"My Diary" 1961


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[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:American women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American women singer-songwriters]]

Latest revision as of 21:21, 18 April 2024

Not to be confused with the actress Carol Connors.

Carol Connors
Carol Connors performing live on November 17, 2007
Carol Connors performing live on November 17, 2007
Background information
Birth nameAnnette Kleinbard
Born (1941-11-13) November 13, 1941 (age 82)
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
GenresRock and roll, pop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active1956–present
LabelsDore Records

Carol Connors (born Annette Kleinbard, November 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. She is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist on the Teddy Bears' single, "To Know Him Is To Love Him", which was written by her bandmate Phil Spector.

Biography

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Connors was born Annette Kleinbard on November 13, 1941, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.[1] Her parents were Polish Jews.[1] She lost many relatives in the Holocaust.[1] She attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California.[1]

Career

[edit]

She was the lead singer of the pop vocal trio known as the Teddy Bears, which also included Phil Spector.[1] The Teddy Bears' only major hit, "To Know Him Is To Love Him", which Spector wrote specifically to showcase Connors' singing voice, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1958, also becoming the first woman to chart.[2] After their initial hit, the trio disbanded because of the failure of their follow-up singles, a car accident that injured Annette, and the fact that Spector preferred working behind the scenes to performing.[citation needed]

Some years later she legally changed her name to Carol Connors, because she did not want her first name to be associated with Mousketeer Annette Funicello. [citation needed] She co-wrote (with Ayn Robbins and Bill Conti) "Gonna Fly Now", the theme song from the film Rocky, which earned her an Academy Award nomination.[1] Carol Connors sang the theme to the film Orca, called "We Are One".

Other songwriting credits include the Rip Chords' 1964 hit "Hey Little Cobra", plus the 1980 Billy Preston/Syreeta Wright duet "With You I'm Born Again"; the 1994 title track "For All Mankind" on the debut album of Italian singer Guendalina Cariaggi, which was used as the theme song for a documentary produced by Pier Quinto and Lara Cariaggi, on the legends of soccer and the FIFA World Cup;[3] for "Madonna in the Mirror", the finale song on A&E's 15 Films About Madonna;[4] and three songs – "Condi, Condi", "I Think of You so Fondly", and "Chill, Condi, Chill" – for Courting Condi (2008).

Connors also wrote and performed songs for several films. The 1967 beach-party film Catalina Caper features her song "Book of Love" (not to be confused with the Monotones' song), co-written with Roger Christian, which she performed backed by the Cascades. She co-composed (with Ayn Robbins) three songs for the soundtrack of the 1977 Disney film, The Rescuers: "Tomorrow Is Another Day", "The Journey" and "Someone's Waiting for You". In 1983 Connors was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award, for the 'Worst Original Song' for "It's Wrong for Me to Love You", from Butterfly, which she co-composed with Ennio Morricone.

In 2011, she skydived and performed a concert to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project.[5]

A Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to her in 1999.[6]

Personal life

[edit]

Connors lives in Beverly Hills, California.[1]

She testified at the O. J. Simpson trial in 1995. She had seen Simpson at a charity event the night before his ex-wife's murder.

Discography

[edit]
  • "My Diary" 1961

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Liami Lawrence, From Elvis to ‘Rocky’ – the charmed life of Carol Connors, The Jerusalem Post, March 24, 2014
  2. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 61. CN 5585.
  3. ^ Army Archerd (June 2, 1994). "'Affair' looks to duplicate O.J. drama". Variety. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  4. ^ "15 Films About Madonna". IMDb.com. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  5. ^ ""Rocky" Songwriter Raises Awareness For Wounded Warriors « CBS Miami". Miami.cbslocal.com. July 3, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  6. ^ "Palm Springs Walk of Stars : Listed By Date Dedicated" (PDF). Palmspringswalkofstars.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 8, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
[edit]
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