24 April 2007

Cynthia Muse - Kangaroo girl

A complete obscure singer, this girl. She sounds young, has a good voice. She seems to have recorded just one 45. On Dot 16335, March 1962.
The A-side "Kangaroo" is a great swinging, crazy song catching in on the dance craze of those days, the B-side High School Play a sentimental teen song.
Two fine sides.

I haven't any information about Cynthia. I asked music forums, no answers (except for an OZ joker who concocted complete crazy details that obviously were false). I wrote to a few Cynthia Muses (a not completely unusual name) of whom I found an e-mail address, but no match. Her name probably isn't Muse any more, or it might never have been.
Reading an orbituary of a Andrew C. Muse, I noticed he had a daughter Cynthia Muse Watkins. Was this the singer? Andrew done a little music somehow, so his child could have recorded. This Cynthia now is a teacher in Spotsylvania. I wrote the school but no reply.
Help... who was Cynthia?

Update Jan. 2009:
Cynthia is found! When she happened to see this blog on internet, Cynthia mailed me. The 'Kangaroo girl' is still alive and kicking (hopping)!
The music was coming from a young 13 year old, in the year 1962. Cynthia recorded just this one record. She traveled and sang locally and was on early morning tv programs. Fondly called the "little darling of tv".
The Kangaroo song was followed by the Kangaroo Hop dance which was performed by her "friends" at local events. Oddly, the B side of the record High School Play got more play than the A side Kangaroo.
More details are to be added on the John Loudermilk site, at the section of the song Kangaroo.