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Connie Stevens:

More than Sixteen Reasons to love Connie Stevens

"If you look up the word "cute" in the dictionary, you're going to find Connie Steven's picture illustrating it," was how one person described the singer after seeing her singing Sixteen Reason on You Tube.

The entertainment world knows Connie Stevens for her classic role as "Cricket Blake" in the television hit series Hawaiian Eye, but Sixteen Reasons was the number one record in the United States back in 1961.

Born with music in her genes, Connie came into the world as Concetta Rosalie Anna Ingoglia, daughter of Peter Ingoglia (known as musician Teddy Stevens) and singer, Eleanor McGinley.

Connie adopted her father's stage name as her own.

When Connie's parents divorced, she went to live with her grandparents, and at age eight was sent off to Catholic boarding schools.

Showing a streak of entrepreneurship that was to one day take her all the way to one of America's top 500 business women, Connie formed a singing group called the Foremost, when her friends were still playing with dolls. The other three vocalists from her original group went on to fame as the Lettermen.

At age 16, Connie of the winning smile began singing with a group called the Three Debs, going on to record as a solo artist on the Warner Brothers label. She also recorded Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb), a duet with Ed, "Kookie" Burns, one of the stars of the TV series 77 Sunset Strip.

That's Connie the recording artist.

As a Motion Picture Star, Television Star and Broadway Star, she has performed for four U.S. Presidents at the White House and the Kennedy Center.

Her stellar career is distinguished by her dedication overseas for the U.S. Military in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf as one of Veterans Across America's all time favorites.

She says of Veterans, "They are my favorite Americans."

Connie Steven's and Eddie Fisher's youngest daughter, Tricia Leigh Fisher tied the knot with actor Byron Thames in Los Angeles on August 12. Fisher's actress sister, Joely was matron-of-honor.

Connie Stevens, her cast and crew said goodbye earlier this month to Boonville at a dinner sponsored by Missouri Life magazine and the City of Boonville. The function was held in honor of Stevens and her cast and crew for the movie Saving Grace B. Jones, which was filmed in the Boonville area.

Anyone who can watch Connie performing Sixteen Reasons on You Tube and not smile would be difficult to find. But then again, it was Connie Stevens who once said, "Nothing you wear is more important than your smile."

Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com


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