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| | Born Lorraine DeAngelis in Chicago, IL, Lola Dee grew up on Chicago's west-side communities. Her father was a drummer and she started singing before the age of 2, At the age of 14, she was heard on an amateur program and was asked to audition for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) network teen-aged show called "Junior Junction". That appearance lead to three years as staff singer for ABC and during that time she signed to a recording contract with Mercury Records. Lola Dee changed her given name to the performance name Lola Ameche in honor of her mother's maiden name on signing the Wing (Mercury Records) label contract, then to Lola Dee on the same label. Over time she also worked under contract with Columbia Records as Lola Dee, and recorded over 40 sides in total. Her biggest selling record was "Only You". With a big commanding voice she was capable of singing nearly every type of pop, blues, jazz and novelty material continuing right into the rock era.
Starting in 1965, Lola Dee performed more intimate venues at nightclubs through the 1980s. She continued to be a featured singer with WGN radio and Television in Chicago. Her national career continued through 1978 and included annual appearances at the Illinois State Fair doing live broadcasts for WGN with Orion Samuelson from 1971 to 1978. |
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