NORMA PARKER'S MUSIC

Norma Parker's Music

I spent time with an old friend today, the incredible Norma Parker. And we shared memories, lots and lots of memories, and lots of musical memories. It started with Dean Martin.  I shared with her the time that my dad and I had an Italian dinner at the San Antonio Winery in Lincoln Park and Dean Martin's Amori played gently from the speakers overhead.

But she kept asking me about Carol Gardel, and for the life of me, I could not remember him. The name sounded familiar. I kept searching for Italian singers in my head. Turns out that his name is not Carol but Carlos, Carlos Gardel.  And he's from Argentina, not Italy.

She told me how it was his songs that she listened to in Nicaragua when she was more of a young girl than a woman. These songs were the anthem to her innocent, childhood loves.  The first song of Gardel's I played for her was "El Dia Que Me Quieras."

Then we listened to Gardel's "Caminito," which I really liked.  As it played, Norma would gush, "Listen to that voice!  What a voice!"  I think I brought her back to her teenage years.

Norma told me that she saw him sing at the Palladium in Hollywood.

Then we listened to Gardel's "Volver," and Norma began singing along, telling me "What a beautiful voice!  That is million-dollar music.  They don't sing like that now."  

"Ooh, that's another song!  My father used to love that song!"  Because the song reminded her of her father, she began to think of her family.  She mentioned her brother, Adan.  Then began telling me about her mother and her name, Laura Hislop, who was British.  Finishing with her father, saying proudly that "My father's name was Daniel Jenie. Henia.  My father was a very elegant man.  Handsome.  Flirt with every girl that went by."   

"Volver" is romantic, but my favorite of the three listed here is "Caminito."

Then we listened to Louis Prima sing.  Here he is singing with Keeley Smith, 1959.  

Then she asked about the song "I'm In the Mood for Love" by Brenda Lee.

Then came Doris Day with images of Rock Hudson.  And it was this song that caused me to feel as old as I thought my mom was when I'd mention Doris Day to her when I was a young kid. When my mom would talk about singers or actors of her day I would listen with intent, paying attention to her tone, her love or dismissal of a performer, and for some reason, I have always associated her youthful joy with Doris Day's voice.  I'll never forget how she smiled and felt consoled by the memory of those days.

Then we listened to "Caminito."  Norma would say "listen to that voice! What a voice!"  I think I brought her back to her teenage years.  

Mario Lanza's name came up.  Norma told me how much she loved him.  I thought that he mostly sang opera but I was wrong.  Here he sounds like Pavarotti.  Learn a little about Luciano Pavarotti here.

Songs and singers that she liked were these.

And more . . . .  

Then we started talking about movies. Oh, boy. 

One of the details of her life that Norma enjoys sharing with me is Jinotepe, Nicaragua, the Nicaraguan city in which she grew up.  Her fond memories of her hometown, of markets, the neighborhoods, her supportive neighbors, and the places she used to hang out with her girlfriends cause her face to light up.  Looking at pictures of the small Nicaraguan town makes me think how charming and quaint it was.  

The main church in town is called Parroquia Santiago. 

Hung out with Norma today and played some of the music she liked.  She remembers the 1970s performer, singer, dancer Charo, as I played her some of the Argentina music by Carlos Gardel. Though the Wikipedia page doesn't state it, it looks like Charo was born in 1946, making her 72-year-old.  And she still looks good.  Her role on American television was to shock the audience which you can see here in this Dean Martine Show with Danny Thomas.  Norma recalls Charo's signature phrase of "Cucci, Cucci."  Biography.com reports her birthday to be 1941 and she was born in Spain. 

Charo is a singer, musician and actress who was born on January 15, 1951 (though some sources report her birth date as March 13, 1941), in Murcia, Spain. She emerged as a star in America in the 1970s with her Latin sassiness, sexy outfits and signature phrase, "Cuchi-cuchi." She appeared on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, The Carol Burnett Show, The Hollywood Squares, The Tonight Show and The Love Boat. In the 1980s she scaled back her career to focus on her family. The next two decades saw her release several albums featuring her singing and guitacr skills. Charo's appearance on the reality show The Surreal Life gained her a new legion of fans.

I will never forget how in the early 80s that I was over the Parkers' home and the song "Stand By Your Man" sung by Tammy Wynette played on the television, and Norma gushed about her voice and that song too, saying what a beautiful voice. She had such great taste in music. Though the song as a single was released in 1968, there was a revived interest in the song after the 1981 bio picture about TammyWynette and George Jones.  The lyrics to the song were sung out loud by Norma's convictions and the sacred vows she took at the altar with her husband, the great Mr. Paul Parker. 

Roy was great to correct me.  I had thought that Norma's favorite music and singer was the great Argentina tango dancer, Carlos Gardel.  Roy explained that Norma loved most the Spanish ballads sung by Eydie Gorme with Los Panchos.  One song in particular was "Amor."

 

Roy was great to correct me.  I had thought that Norma's favorite music and singer was the great Argentina tango danger, Carlos Gardel.  Roy explained that Norma loved most the Spanish ballads sung by Eydie Gorme with Los Panchos. She really liked the song "Amor."  Ashley told me that Norma loved Michael Bolton and Kenny Rogers.  And I do remember her liking Kenny Rogers.  

Norma, I could never forget you.  No one could.  I will forever write about your positive and loving influence with so many people.  Every town the world over could benefit from a Norma Parker. 

Norma Socorro Parker, October 11, 1931--February 23, 2022.  RIP, Dear, Dear Norma.  Her middle name, Socorro, Spanish for succor, captures so much of what Norma was about, providing assistance to others.  

Will never forget the time that you drove the Immaculate Conception Youth Group with me as a kind of chaperone, down to the Old Spaghetti Factory in Newport Beach for dinner.  I want to say that that was 1983, which means I was still working nights at UPS in Baldwin Park.  And you drove all of us in your van, and you gave those kids such a wonderful night out of clean fun, good food in enchanted surroundings.  

Can never forget those glory days when you and Antoinette used to invite me with you guys to thrift shops in Old Town Pasadena before it became a place, the days of junk stores, burger joints, railroad tracks, and open space.  I loved the old fedora hats, the Oxford shoes that were popular in the Mod movement of the early 80s, days and evenings that I used to share with your son, Roy, and your beautiful daughter, Marie.  Whether I called her Marie or Antoinette, both names conjured up such lyrical beauty in my heart.