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Julie Budd

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Julie Budd
Birth nameEdith Erdman
Born (1954-05-07) May 7, 1954 (age 70)
Brooklyn, New York, US
GenresBroadway show tunes, jazz
Years active1966–present
Websitejuliebudd.com

Julie Budd (born May 7, 1954)[1] is an American cabaret singer and actress, noted for her performances on the Las Vegas Strip in the 1970s. She was often a supporting act for Frank Sinatra's shows at Caesars Palace. She continues to perform, mainly in New York City, where she is also a stage actress.

Early life and education

She was born Edith Erdman[1] in Brooklyn, New York,[2] the second of three daughters of Saul and Joan Erdman.[3] Her father was a bottling company executive.[4] Her family was Jewish but not religious.[3] She attended the Roy H. Mann Jr. High School in Brooklyn until 1969, when she transferred to a private academy in Manhattan.[5] In 1993 she contributed her reminiscences of growing up in Brooklyn to the book It Happened in Brooklyn: An oral history of growing up in the borough in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s (1993).[6]

Career

Singing

Budd began her singing career at the age of 12, taking the stage for amateur night at the Tamarack resort camp in the Catskills.[3] There she was spotted by producer Herb Bernstein, who became her personal manager and arranger. He continued to work with her through the next thirty years.[7] After signing a contract for personal management, he also had her record a demo, signed her to a three-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and sent her to a voice coach.[4] One of Bernstein's employees suggested her new stage name.[1] Budd appeared on the Merv Griffin Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, The Carol Burnett Show’’ and The Jim Nabors Hour.[8][9] In 1968 she released the LP Child of Plenty on the MGM label and became a regular on the NBC TV summer series Showcase '68.[1]

Appearing at Caesars Palace at the age of 16, Budd became the youngest opening act for Frank Sinatra.[7] She told the Chicago Sun-Times that she learned the "theatrical side of singing" by observing Sinatra:

"Frank would set up a chair for me in the wings when I was done singing and I'd watch his show every night from there. Then he'd come off and ask me for observations. And he was totally serious about it. One night I asked him about all the tape marks all over the floor when he sang. And he asked the lighting guy to bring up the lights one by one and I saw how they 'hit the marks'. Frank just walked over to me and explained how lighting will enhance musical moments".[7]

She began singing in nightclubs at age 18.[10] She became a frequent performer in Las Vegas, often supporting Sinatra, Liberace, George Burns, or Bob Hope.[11] She also sang at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and Atlantic City.[2]

She performed the title song for the 1972 film Living Free, which played over the opening credits.[12] In 1976 she reached #93 in the charts with the song "One Fine Day", one of her biggest hits.[1] In 1979 she performed on Broadway in They're Playing Our Song.[8] A 1981 New York Magazine article noted that she had "sung in public for 15 of her 27 years", and "almost had the lead in Evita on Broadway".[13]

In November 1991 she teamed with Burns again to put on a benefit performance to raise funds for the Children's Hospital of Orange County.[14] She performs at the annual fundraiser of the Schultz-Hill Foundation, founded in 2002 in Atlantic City.[2] At the 2004 NYSSBA Annual Convention Preview Convention she performed the songs of Barbra Streisand,[15] with whom she is often compared.[7][10] On October 22 and 23, 2004, she performed Streisand classics in a tribute program, "The Barbra Streisand Songbook", created by Marvin Hamlisch.[8][16]

Budd continues to perform mainly in the New York City area and Las Vegas. She released the albums Pure Imagination (1997) and If You Could See Me Now (2000),[11] and to commemorate Sinatra's centenary on December 12, 2015, she has released an album, Remembering Mr. Sinatra.[17] She also teaches master classes in singing.[8]

Acting

In acting, Budd is associated with the Circle Repertory Theater and Playwright's Horizons of New York City.[11] She starred in the 1981 Walt Disney film The Devil and Max Devlin as a 19-year-old high school dropout and aspiring singer. Budd has stated that "having the opportunity to work for the Disney Company was a life changer for me. At Disney they always do it right".[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Leszczak, Bob (25 June 2015). From Small Screen to Vinyl: A Guide to Television Stars Who Made Records, 1950–2000. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 37–8. ISBN 978-1-4422-4274-6.
  2. ^ a b c Deangelis, Martin (September 24, 2011). "Longtime Atlantic City performer Julie Budd helps Schultz-Hill Foundation raise money for arts and history groups". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Thompson, Ruth (December 20, 1969). "Teen-age Julie Budd Takes New Fame in Stride". The Gettysburg Times. p. 1. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Abrahams, Arleen (January 25, 1969). "Little Julie Budd is Making an Impact With Her Big Voice". Associated Press. The Free Lance–Star. p. 10. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  5. ^ Robinson, Barry (January 11, 1969). "Young Singer Julie Budd Has Blossoming Career". The Evening News (Newburgh). p. 17. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  6. ^ Brecher, Elinor J. (December 1, 1993). "You can take the Brooklynite out of Brooklyn, but ..." Knight Ridder. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d Di Nunzio, Miriam (November 20, 1998). "The magic's still working for performer Julie Budd". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d Keogh, Tom (June 3, 2011). "Hamlisch and Streisand, the way they were". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  9. ^ "Julie Budd, Jayne Wyman Join Nabors". The Schenectady Gazette. December 6, 1969. p. 7. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  10. ^ a b Moody, John (May 24, 1976). "Julie Budd Resembles, Sings Like Streisand". UPI. Nashua Telegraph. p. 29. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  11. ^ a b c "Julie Budd". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  12. ^ Passafiume, Andrea (2015). "Living Free (1972)". Turner Classic Movies.
  13. ^ New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. 12 October 1981. p. 34. ISSN 0028-7369.
  14. ^ Orange Coast Magazine. Emmis Communications. November 1991. p. 62. ISSN 0279-0483.
  15. ^ On Board. New York State School Boards Association. 2004.
  16. ^ LoTempio, Susan (October 25, 2004). "Hamlisch Unleashes Streisand Power". The Buffalo News. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  17. ^ "Remembering Mr. Sinatra". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
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