Kate Smith

Kathryn Elizabeth Smith, known as Kate Smith, was an American contralto singer who rose to fame in the 1930s and 1940s. She was referred to as “The First Lady of Radio” and “The Songbird of the South” due to her tremendous popularity and patriotic performances during World War II.

Smith began her career in the 1920s, making her first phonograph recordings in 1926. She quickly gained recognition for her powerful and emotive voice, and by the early 1930s, she had become a major star of radio. Smith hosted a variety of successful radio programs, including The Kate Smith Hour, which ran for eight years from 1937 to 1945 and featured comedy, music, and drama with appearances by top personalities of films and theater.

The Stars

Smith was the undisputed star of her radio programs, with her rich contralto voice and warm, friendly persona captivating audiences nationwide. While she did not have regular co-stars, her shows often featured appearances by popular comedians such as Abbott and Costello and Henny Youngman, who introduced their comedy to a wide radio audience through Smith’s programs.

Key Dates

• Kate Smith Sings, Smith’s twice-weekly NBC series, debuted in 1931 and was quickly expanded to six shows per week.
• She went on to host a series of shows for CBS in the 1930s, including Kate Smith and Her Swanee Music, The Kate Smith Matinee, The Kate Smith New Star Revue, Kate Smith’s Coffee Time, and The Kate Smith A&P Bandwagon.
• The Kate Smith Hour ran from 1937 to 1945, making it one of the longest-running and most successful radio variety shows of the era. Smith continued to host both music and talk shows on radio until 1960.
• She also had a successful television career in the early 1950s, starring in The Kate Smith Hour on NBC and The Kate Smith Evening Hour.

Other Information

In addition to her radio and television work, Smith was a prolific commercial spokesperson, appearing in advertisements for a variety of companies such as Studebaker, Pullman, Diamond Crystal Salt, and Jell-O. She was also known for her patriotic performances, particularly her renditions of “God Bless America,” which she sang frequently during World War II.

Smith’s efforts to support the war effort were significant, as she contributed to the sale of over $600 million in war bonds during a series of marathon broadcasts, more than any other show-business figure. For her contributions, Smith was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Ronald Reagan in 1982.

Despite her immense popularity and success, Smith’s legacy has faced some controversy in recent years. In 2019, the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team removed a statue of Smith and stopped using her recording of “God Bless America” due to concerns about racist lyrics in some of her earlier songs. However, Smith’s enduring impact on American popular culture and her status as a beloved figure of the World War II era remain undisputed.