Jill Corey (born Norma Jean Speranza, September , ) is an American
popular standards singer.Italian-American, Corey was born in Avonmore,
Pennsylvania, a coal mining community about forty miles east of
Pittsburgh. Her father, Bernard Speranza, was a coal miner, and she
was the youngest of five children. She is a graduate of Bell-Avon
High School.Corey began singing as an imitator of Carmen Miranda at
family gatherings and on amateur shows in grade school (never winning
any prizes, usually finishing last).[citation needed]At the age of ,
she began to develop her own style. She won first prize at a talent
contest sponsored by the Lions Club, which entitled her to sing a song
on WAVL in Apollo, Pennsylvania. This got her an offer to have her own
program. By the age of she was working seven nights a week, earning $
a night,[citation needed] with a local orchestra led by Johnny Murphy.
By the age of she was a local celebrity talent.
popular standards singer.Italian-American, Corey was born in Avonmore,
Pennsylvania, a coal mining community about forty miles east of
Pittsburgh. Her father, Bernard Speranza, was a coal miner, and she
was the youngest of five children. She is a graduate of Bell-Avon
High School.Corey began singing as an imitator of Carmen Miranda at
family gatherings and on amateur shows in grade school (never winning
any prizes, usually finishing last).[citation needed]At the age of ,
she began to develop her own style. She won first prize at a talent
contest sponsored by the Lions Club, which entitled her to sing a song
on WAVL in Apollo, Pennsylvania. This got her an offer to have her own
program. By the age of she was working seven nights a week, earning $
a night,[citation needed] with a local orchestra led by Johnny Murphy.
By the age of she was a local celebrity talent.
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