Go Slow: The Life of Julie London

by Michael Owen

Overview

It has been said that the records of singer and actress Julie London were purchased for their provocative, full-color cover photographs as frequently as they were for the music contained in their grooves. During the 1950s and ’60s, her piercing blue eyes, strawberry blonde hair, and shapely figure were used to sell the world an image of cool sexuality.

The contrast between image and reality, the public and the private, is at the heart of Julie London’s story. Through years of research; extensive interviews with family, friends, and musical associates; and access to rarely seen or heard archival material, author Michael Owen reveals the impact of her image on the direction of her career and how it influenced the choices she made, including the ultimate decision to walk away from performing.

Go Slow follows Julie London’s life and career through its many stages: her transformation from 1940s movie starlet to coolly defiant singer of the classic torch ballad “Cry Me a River” of the ’50s, and her journey from Las Vegas hotel entertainer during the rock ’n’ roll revolution of the ’60s to the no-nonsense nurse of the ’70s hit television series Emergency!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613738573
Publisher:	Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	07/01/2017
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	501,541
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Michael Owen is a writer, archivist, and researcher. A historian of popular music and culture, he is the consulting archivist to the estate of the songwriter Ira Gershwin, for which he is currently completing a scholarly, annotated book of Ira Gershwin’s 1928 travel journal as part of the Gershwin Critical Edition project. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and their cat.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Foreword Arthur Hamilton xv

Prologue-Spring/Summer 1955 xvii

1 God Bless the Child 1

2 Dream 7

3 Bouquet of Blues 20

4 A Place in the Sun 32

5 Cry Me a River 38

6 The Exciting Life 60

7 Free and Easy 74

8 The House That Julie Built 93

9 Julie at Home 103

10 There'll Be Some Changes Made 122

11 Live … in Person! 141

12 For the Night People 159

13 Lonesome Road 173

14 Wild, Smooth, and Sultry 190

15 Emergency! 204

16 "We Said We'd Never Say 'Goodbye'" 215

Epilogue-Echoes 229

Appendix 1 Discography 237

Appendix 2 Filmography 249

Notes 253

Sources 279

Index 285

Editorial Reviews

"Beautifully crafted and stunningly researched, this entertaining biography of Julie London reminds us why she matters, now and for always. It is a great read!” —Michael Feinstein, singer



“Go Slow offers us a long-awaited, highly detailed look at a neglected jazz and pop singer who has always been worthy of greater recognition and attention. The author provides lots of new information and historical context, while, to his credit, resisting the temptation to make outrageous claims for his subject. I learned a lot that I didn’t know and it made me want to hear more.” —Will Friedwald, author of Stardust Melodies and Sinatra! The Song Is You



“Michael Owen tells the unique story of a singular talent and reluctant celebrity with dispassionate appreciation, weaving personal life and professional history into the tale of a woman who was steadfast in her personal passions and career path without the ego and ambition that drives so many other singers and actors. Neither sycophant nor assassin, Owen deftly chronicles Julie London’s life with both empathy and objectivity.” —Michael Cuscuna, record producer, writer, and discographer



“Go Slow is a sensitive, informative biography, inviting the reader to discover Julie London’s unique and solitary contribution to the history of American music. With an ear for tone and an eye for story, Michael Owen leads us seamlessly through a life fashioned for style, revealing an instinctive range where just enough sound can occupy a space, exploiting every lyrical nuance along the way. As Go Slow discloses, through years of struggle and turmoil, an irony was born that would further distill some of Julie’s finest work as an interpreter of popular song. Esteemed jazz vocalists and musicians loved and respected her. A generous spirit to her family and friends, Julie London was one grand dame and there will never be anyone like her. Thanks to Michael Owen, we begin to understand why.” —Kevin Tighe, actor, Emergency!  


“An affectionate and complex portrait of London that will help rekindle an interest in her life and work.” —Kirkus Reviews


“The book offers an intimate look at her memorable public career and the sharp contrasts of her private life.” —Discover Hollywood



“Michael Owen has written an interesting book that fans of London or people interested in the popular culture of the 1950s will want to read.” —All About Jazz



“Owen's fascinating, clear-eyed portrait examines her work and looks at her decision to walk away from show business in the ‘70s, as well as her apparent indifference to her career.” —The Arizona Republic

From the Publisher

06/01/2017
This biography is an overdue appreciation of a chanteuse capable of squeezing every bit of meaning and emotion out of ballads like her hit "Cry Me a River" with her whispery, sometimes raspy singing voice. Julie London (1926–2000) originally hoped to use her good looks to fashion an acting career and soon attracted the attention of a talent scout—and first husband, Jack Webb (Dragnet). Her marriage floundered and she began appearing in crime dramas and Westerns, in which she played "second fiddle to a horse." Her second husband, actor, singer, and songwriter Bobby Troup, saw her potential as a lounge singer. Her face and voluptuous figure were perfect for 1950s album covers. Despite her limitations as an actress, she continued to appear in films (including a role opposite Gary Cooper in 1958's Man of the West), while building a following in clubs and college campuses. When singing and acting opportunities dried up, Webb employed London and Troup in supporting roles in the hit 1970s TV series Emergency! VERDICT A study in contradictions (despite her provocative image, she was morally conservative in her private life, preferring a quiet home life) who claimed to be a "has been that never was," London made the most of what she had. Recommended.—Stephen Rees, formerly with Levittown Lib., PA

Library Journal

2017-05-15
A biography of the American actress and pop singer.Julie London (1926-2000) may not be a household name, but during the 1950s and '60s, she was a popular singer known for her sultry, "spectral" voice, as pop-culture historian Owen describes it in this absorbing biography. However, as the author shows, she had never intended to be a singer. In fact, London begrudgingly took on the role after her future husband, Bobby Troup, convinced her to give it a shot when her acting career had begun to sputter. As a singer, London established herself as an unlikely talent, and her status as one of the age's pre-eminent sex symbols was cemented by her throaty vocals and provocative, sensual album covers. Born Nancy Gayle Peck in Stockton, California, London began her career in 1943 when she was discovered in a department store in Los Angeles. She was cast mostly in small parts in various B-movies, never really breaking through to leading-lady status. It wasn't until the dissolution of her first marriage to the domineering and aloof Jack Webb and London's eventual romantic involvement with Troup, a respected musician, that she began to pursue her musical career. London would go on to release numerous albums of standards and covers, including her breakthrough debut "Julie Is Her Name," which featured her best known song, "Cry Me a River." But for an early crossover star who managed to remain in the public eye for more than two decades, London was surprisingly cagey about her celebrity and career. As a reluctant singer, she never truly believed in her ability, and her lack of confidence and self-esteem plagued her throughout her career. Returning to acting later in life as star of the TV show Emergency!, London's consistent and long-running career disproves her own doubts. An affectionate and complex portrait of London that will help rekindle an interest in her life and work.

Kirkus Reviews