Ruth Etting (November , â€" September , ) was an American singing
star, vaudevillian and actress of the s and s, who had over hit
recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film. Known as "America's
sweetheart of song", her signature tunes were "Shine On, Harvest
Moon", "Ten Cents a Dance" and "Love Me or Leave Me".Her other popular
recordings included "Button Up Your Overcoat", "Mean to Me", "Exactly
Like You" and "Shaking the Blues Away".As a young girl in Nebraska,
Etting had wanted to be an artist; she drew and sketched everywhere
she was able. At sixteen, her grandparents decided to send her to art
school in Chicago. While Etting attended class, she found a job at the
Marigold Gardens nightclub; after a short time there, Etting gave up
art classes in favor of a career in show business. Etting, who enjoyed
singing in school and church, never took voice lessons. She quickly
became a featured vocalist at the club. Etting was then managed by Moe
Snyder, whom she married in . Snyder made arrangements for Etting's
recording and film contracts as well as her personal and radio
appearances. She became nationally known when she appeared in Flo
Ziegfeld's Follies of .Etting intended to retire from performing in ,
but this did not happen until after her divorce from Snyder in . Harry
Myrl Alderman, Etting's pianist, was separated from his wife when he
and Etting began a relationship. Snyder did not like seeing his former
wife in the company of other men and began making telephone threats to
Etting in January . By October, Snyder traveled to Los Angeles and
detained Alderman after he left a local radio station; he forced the
pianist to take him to the home of his ex-wife at gunpoint. Saying he
intended to kill Etting, Alderman, and his own daughter, Edith, who
worked for Etting, Snyder shot Alderman. Three days after Alderman was
shot, his wife filed suit against Etting for alienation of affections.
star, vaudevillian and actress of the s and s, who had over hit
recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film. Known as "America's
sweetheart of song", her signature tunes were "Shine On, Harvest
Moon", "Ten Cents a Dance" and "Love Me or Leave Me".Her other popular
recordings included "Button Up Your Overcoat", "Mean to Me", "Exactly
Like You" and "Shaking the Blues Away".As a young girl in Nebraska,
Etting had wanted to be an artist; she drew and sketched everywhere
she was able. At sixteen, her grandparents decided to send her to art
school in Chicago. While Etting attended class, she found a job at the
Marigold Gardens nightclub; after a short time there, Etting gave up
art classes in favor of a career in show business. Etting, who enjoyed
singing in school and church, never took voice lessons. She quickly
became a featured vocalist at the club. Etting was then managed by Moe
Snyder, whom she married in . Snyder made arrangements for Etting's
recording and film contracts as well as her personal and radio
appearances. She became nationally known when she appeared in Flo
Ziegfeld's Follies of .Etting intended to retire from performing in ,
but this did not happen until after her divorce from Snyder in . Harry
Myrl Alderman, Etting's pianist, was separated from his wife when he
and Etting began a relationship. Snyder did not like seeing his former
wife in the company of other men and began making telephone threats to
Etting in January . By October, Snyder traveled to Los Angeles and
detained Alderman after he left a local radio station; he forced the
pianist to take him to the home of his ex-wife at gunpoint. Saying he
intended to kill Etting, Alderman, and his own daughter, Edith, who
worked for Etting, Snyder shot Alderman. Three days after Alderman was
shot, his wife filed suit against Etting for alienation of affections.
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