Beatrice Ruth Wain, of vocal group "Bea and The Bachelors" and radio fame, was essentially freelancing at this point, recording with arranger Bill Challis, cutting a single excellent side ("If It's the Last Thing I Do") with the Shaw orch and, here, warbling for Gene Kardos' band, whose heyday was the early Great Depression. Even in this company, with Kardos' best days behind him, Bea's talent and interpretive charm are unmistakable. She could have been directing Mercer's playful jibe "... and they're saying you're off the cob" at this not quite up-to-date outfit, but Ms Wain, by contrast, sounds terrific. Bright stardom with the Larry Clinton orch, for which Bea's style was ideally suited, was right around the corner!
![What's My Line? - Keely Smith; Alan King [panel] (Mar 18, 1962)](/img/n.gif)
Beatrice Ruth Wain, of vocal group "Bea and The Bachelors" and radio fame, was essentially freelancing at this point, recording with arranger Bill Challis, cutting a single excellent side ("If It's the Last Thing I Do") with the Shaw orch and, here, warbling for Gene Kardos' band, whose heyday was the early Great Depression. Even in this company, with Kardos' best days behind him, Bea's talent and interpretive charm are unmistakable. She could have been directing Mercer's playful jibe "... and they're saying you're off the cob" at this not quite up-to-date outfit, but Ms Wain, by contrast, sounds terrific. Bright stardom with the Larry Clinton orch, for which Bea's style was ideally suited, was right around the corner!