Paula Corrado I’ve had so many careers: teacher, writer, editor, astrologer, flight attendant, seamstress, costume designer, actress. But whatever hat I was wearing at the time, none of these jobs characterized me. For that, I always remember a night at the Las Vegas Sands Hotel in 1962. In my heart and in my soul I knew I was a singer and that someday I would fulfill my dream of being the featured vocalist for a fabulous big band, a recording artist, or a cabaret entertainer or a soundtrack singer in a Woody Allen film. Well, I haven’t met Woody yet! But that “someday” will come and while I’m waiting for that to happen, it’s so great to be able to make a living as a singer—doing what I love. Back in 1962 I was in the Las Vegas Sands lounge listening to Maury King and his violins, completely unaware that I was singing quietly to myself, when I heard a man’s voice in the booth behind me say, “You oughta be up there on stage.” I took it as a nice compliment, so I said, “Oh, thank you.” But the voice wouldn’t let it go. He insisted, “I said—YOU oughta be up there with Maury.” Before I could get another “Oh, thank you” out, the man with the voice was now standing before me. It was Bobby Darin. He took my hand, led me right up to Mr. King, and announced that he had just discovered a new singing sensation. I didn’t have time to be nervous. I sang for Bobby, and Maury, and my family, and all the smiling faces in the audience. I loved it. It was magical. It was me. Maury King offered me a job right there. It was bad timing. I still had a year of college left and mama wouldn’t hear of me quitting school to chase after a dream with no safety net. One might ask, “Why didn’t you just start your career right then and there?” I guess the best way to explain it would be to tell them to imagine that they’re in an airport. They know the flight they should be on is the nonstop flight for singers, but they’re not allowed to buy a ticket for a direct flight. They have to keep taking connections, until they reach their destination. What a roller coaster ride those connecting flights can be!—the laughter, tears, ups and downs and in-betweens. Two of my dearest ups: meeting my husband, John, on a flight, a real one, and being blessed with six children and nine grandchildren. Another highlight was meeting the composer Richard Rodgers, quite by chance, in a restaurant in Manhattan. I asked him what his favorite composition was and he replied, Carousel. I told him that seeing Carousel as a girl had changed my life—not only was his music beautiful, it was also full of hope for an orphan girl like me. He smiled and said, “Thank you,” but added, “I can tell it’s not your favorite though, Paula. What’s your favorite?” And I answered, Bewitched. He arose from the table, beckoned me to follow, found a piano, asked me to sing, and played Bewitched. When I finished singing, he asked me to introduce the song at a Broadway Angel party for his revival of Pal Joey. Heaven! Another fabulous high was meeting my dear friends Bob Button, Steve Ross, Fred Silver, Red Skelton and Fred Smith. They have blessed my life personally and professionally in ways too numerous to recall here. I hope my music will take you on a musical journey of love, romance, promise, dreams, and memories, or perhaps—your own flight of fancy. I know it does for me. John Corrado The hand of providence must have been involved because I found the love of my life in Paula, my best friend and wife, who taught me to sing. And now I’ve joined with her and I’m having lots of fun in my new career. I never had dreams of being a singer. All I ever wanted to do was fly airplanes. I had a grand career as a Naval Aviator and as a Captain for American Airlines. Paula is a little bewitching. The first day I met her we were both working on a flight from JFK to LAX. She was reading astrology charts for some of the flight attendants while waiting for passenger boarding. I asked her a few questions about astrology and she enlightened me a bit and asked if I would like a reading. I was game, “Sure,” I said. “Why not?” It was uncanny the things she could see. She said I would be a singer and that I would entertain people. I politely told her that there was very little chance of that. She winked at me and said, “You’ll see. It will happen.” I came clean. I confided that when I was about sixteen, I had seen The Music Man on TV and that I had played the 33rpm recording of the show over and over until I had learned most of the songs. I also confessed that I enjoyed playing Professor Harold Hill and singing his songs when goofing off entertaining friends and colleagues in college and in the Navy I couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth as I revealed that as a kid I had actually imagined myself being just like Bobby Darin singing Mack the Knife pretending I was on stage. To this day I swear that as I spoke of my admiration for Bobby, I heard the theme from Twilight Zone in the background. Paula definitely bewitched me and in so doing introduced me to her wonderful world of music and I, in turn, brought music to my passengers. and now I bring it to you. Welcome aboard! The Corrados are featured vocalists with the Bob Button Orchestra, the Nice and Easy Trio and on www.gmmy.com/GMMYRADIO.htm with host Frank E. Dee and also on host Alan Brown’s “The Vocal Touch” broadcast from England, Golden Music Memories of Yesteryear. Reviews “Paula and John's smooth and heartfelt tones are reminiscent of the nightclub singers of the golden big-band era. A glorious bonding occurs when you are drawn into their world of lyrics, music and enthusiasm for life.” Robert E. “Bob” Button: Former Director of Voice of America and the Bob Button Orchestra “If you have not yet heard Paula Corrado sing, you indeed are missing out on a treat. This lovely 'Lady' sings ever so deliciously. There’s magic in this wonderful vocalist. Her husband John, a recently retired American Airlines pilot, was known as the singing pilot. John certainly has a great set of vocal pipes, as he teams with his wife in duets of some of the best American standards.” Frank E Dee, GMMY Radio