If you're a fan of American movie musicals, then you're a fan of Marni Nixon - even if you don't know who she is. Sadly, the super-secret-undercover singing voice of Natalie Wood in "West Side Story" and Deborah Kerr in "The King and I," and countless more, has just sashayed away to that great movie palace in the sky. But not before leaving us with an Unsung Cheerful Exclusive! just for you.
In 1983, Marni was in her mid-fifties when she recorded this LP - and it's a wonderful treat. With an all-Gershwin set list, she's accompanied by her favorite pianist Lincoln Mayorga. Her classical vocals are so delicate, they shimmer, his trilling soprano so effortless, it's a wonder she didn't become a star in her own right instead of "ghosting" for others. Still, she did enjoy a fine concert career, and in 1999, she toured in her own show, "Marni Nixon: The Voice Of Hollywood." I really wish I had seen it.
