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Girl Singer

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At the top of her form and topping the charts, Rosemary Clooney looks back at a life of triumph and tragedy more dramatic than any work of fiction.

Rosemary Clooney made her first public appearance at the age of three, on the stage of the Russell Theater in her hometown of Maysville, Kentucky, singing, "When Your Hair Has Turned to Silver," an odd but perhaps prophetic choice for one so young. She has been singing ever on local radio; with Tony Pastor's orchestra; in big-box-office Hollywood films; at the Hollywood Bowl, the London Palladium, and Carnegie Hall ; on her own television series; and at venues large and small across the country and around the world. The list of Clooney's friends and intimates reads like a who's who of show business Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, Tony Bennett, Janet Leigh, Humphrey Bogart, and Billie Holiday, to name just a few. She's known enormous professional triumphs and deep personal tragedies.

At the age of twenty-five, Clooney married the erudite and respected actor Jose Ferrer, sixteen years her senior and light-years more sophisticated. Trouble started almost immediately when, on her honeymoon, she discovered that he had already been unfaithful. Finally, after having five children while she almost single-handedly supported the entire family and endured Ferrer's numerous, unrepentant infidelities, she filed for divorce. From there her life spiraled downward into depression, addiction to various prescription drugs, and then, in 1968, a breakdown and hospitalization. After years spent fighting her way back to the top, Clooney is married to one of her first and long-lost loves- a true fairy tale with a happy ending. She's been nominated for four Grammys in six years and has two albums at the top of the Billboard charts. In the words of one of Stephen Sondheim's Follies showgirls, she could well be singing, triumphantly, "I'm still here!"

528 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1999

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About the author

For more than fifty years, Rosemary Clooney's simple and exquisite singing style defined her dynamic career. She also took on movie roles, and did a star turn in her own television show, but it was her successful and inspired music that cemented her reputation as one of America's finest jazz-based vocalists.

source: Songwriters Hall of Fame


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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
Profile Image for Thibault Busschots.
Author 6 books206 followers
August 29, 2023
Rosemary Clooney was an actress and a singer. Now, I already knew the lyrics of one her songs from start to finish. And White Christmas is one of my mom’s favorite movies, which I’ve admittedly only recently seen for the very first time. So I was intrigued and wanted to find out a little bit more about this fascinating person and the life she’s led.


Rosemary Clooney already found her passion for singing at a very young age, and she even started a girl group with her sister when she was only sixteen years old. That doesn’t mean she had a pleasant childhood though. She was most definitely searching for financial and complete independence at a very young age.

She details both her parents’ flaws. Like how her mother took her little brother and left her and her little sister with her dad, despite them wanting to come too. “You’re the oldest,” her mother often told her, “you’ll manage.” And how her father left her and her little sister alone at home for days and how they went about getting money as children when they ran out of food. Movies and music were her escape during those troubled times, which explains why she wanted to become an actress and a singer.

What Rosemary does really well during her stories on the road is describing a performer’s high. And there’s a fun little story in here about how she wasn’t a fan of her song Come On-a My House when she first heard it. The song was based on an Armenian folk song and ended up being a career-defining song for her.

There are also some pearls of wisdom to be found in here. She mentions that she didn’t pay enough attention to important things like money when she was earning more than enough, which is one of the things that led to her financial problems later in life. She also gives us an anecdote that very much shows the importance of reading a contract before signing it, as it can save you a lot of trouble later on.

Aside from all that that, she did lead quite a glamorous life after a very troubled childhood. She met and befriended the most famous celebrities of her time, and she shares some really interesting stories with them. Frank Sinatra in particular was a singer she very much looked up to and even had a crush on when she was a little girl. And she describes meeting him for the very first time as a treasured memory and in great detail, as if it happened only yesterday. And then she met her first husband.

Now, her marriage is the heart of this memoir. And it undoubtedly had some ups and down, like any relationship. But the downs were quite heartbreaking to read at times to be honest. Because that’s when her life started spiraling out of control. That’s when she truly started to understand that she was living in a man’s world.


It’s a memoir that’s definitely worth reading. This is quite an informative read about someone who was able to soar to the highest highs in life and fell to some really low lows. We get a really cool window into a fascinating time that’s already starting to speak to the imagination. And we get to see how much rock and roll rocked the world and changed the music industry at the time, from someone who experienced it first-hand. It was also fun to immerse myself into the story with her music. That really elevated the experience for me.
Profile Image for Willo Font.
649 reviews2 followers
November 26, 2017
This a fun bittersweet ride. She did go around the block ay least twice and in the meantime she was having children! That's why she did not make a lot of movies she was pregnant all the time. Meanwhile there are lots of anecdotes with celebrities and her friend Marlena Dietrich keeps popping in and out.
"Dietrich came to the hospital to see me and the baby, carrying a big jar of caviar. She buttonholed the nurse in my room . "Where do you keep your penicillin?" Dietrich demanded. She smiled at me. " The temperature at which one keeps penicillin is the perfect temperature for caviar , darling."

With this book there was also released a 2 CD set with the songs she talks about in the book , rare cuts never published with Bing Crosby , Frank Sinatra and her sister.

Did really enjoy it
Profile Image for Bobby.
160 reviews14 followers
January 16, 2011
I must say that I would never have chosen this book if one of my friends in book club had not chosen it, but I am certainly glad that I did. The book shared a journey that many of us take when we think others are better than us. Rosemary, herself, was far more than she gave herself credit and she spent far too much time trying to be someone she thought was better. She married who she thought was her prince charming rather than her match... hmmm, Katie Holmes, perhaps you could have avoided some unhappiness if you had read the words of Rosemary Clooney.

Rosemary Clooney passed away soon after we read this autobiography. We referenced it then, often as a group, often teasingly, but I love the bond. Also, I recognized her passing more because of the book... and related more than ever that our mid-western manners and ways may not be sophisticated but that does not mean we do not have depth or talents. Her legacy continues in her movies, recordings, and with her nephew, George.

I am glad that this book was one of our club's selections and I found it entirely worth the read.
109 reviews
January 23, 2021
What a life! To read about the start of her career is fascinating, and at the height she was American royalty - hanging out with every famous name of the mid 20th century. It's sad and frustrating to read about her marriage, and the way she bought into the PR narrative supporting the myth of the "little woman" at home. She had five children, while supporting an extravagant lifestyle for her husband, Jose Ferrar, whose ego required that she underplay her accomplishments and extraordinary gifts.
Profile Image for Crystal.
271 reviews5 followers
January 27, 2020
My only hesitation in reading this book was perhaps finding out that Rosemary Clooney was an arrogant jerk, as so many in show business have been and are, and therefore ruin my favorite Christmas movie of all time. I'm happy to report that upon the book's completion, I feel no distaste for her -- but I certainly swept through definite sadness and a renewed resolve to keep my children out of the limelight. What a talent, what a beauty, what a woman, but what a sad, sad life. Thankfully, she ended in triumph, but "Girl Singer" is a good reminder that the Golden Age of Hollywood with all of its supposed glamour and class wasn't all it appeared to be.

Also, my mind was blown upon discovering that her second husband was in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, my favorite movie EVER. How did I go 34 years without realizing this convergence of cinematic and musical genius?!?

A worthwhile read for fans of good music, intelligent lyrics and that era.
Profile Image for Jim Cullison.
544 reviews8 followers
April 2, 2019
Insightful and unsparing, this showbiz memoir is only surpassed by Mary Tyler Moore for compelling candor. Although a bit discursive and meandering towards the end, it's well worth consuming.
Profile Image for Bethany.
269 reviews
February 12, 2025
Dang Rosemary, your life was full of people (you love to name drop others in the business) and bad decisions. But aside from life with your first husband and your children, nothing else really seemed to follow the narrative. People would be mentioned, only to be dropped for another 50-100 pages, but you made it sound like you were close friends the whole time. Obviously an autobiography is meant to focus on the author's life, but what is a life if not series of connections with others? I would've liked to hear more about her relationship with her sister throughout the decades, or a more in-depth clarification of her friendships with Bing and Frank.
But whoa, that part that landed her in a padded cell was wild!
Profile Image for Cathi.
1,053 reviews4 followers
June 20, 2015
Rosemary Clooney is one of my dad's all-time favorite singers, right up there with Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. I love her voice and classic style, as well, so reading this book was a lot of fun. (Thanks goes to my son for finding this book at a used bookstore and giving it to me.) I learned so much about Clooney's career and personal life, including stuff I'd only heard about vaguely when I was younger. She had a lot of trials and tragedies in her life--some brought on by herself and some because of the rotten decisions made by others--and this book just tells it like it is. It's not sugar-coated, nor is it a graphic "tell all" bio. There is humor mixed with sadness, and there's also a ton of great music and show business fun thrown in. It was definitely a "can't put it down" biography.
Profile Image for Yochana Coleman.
Author 3 books13 followers
May 20, 2019
Absolutely loved this book. I loved the way it was written. I loved her honesty in what she went through. There were times I wanted to throw the book against the wall when I'd get mad at her x-husband Jose Ferrer. Other times I'd just be frustrated as I watched her make choices that would lead to her self-destructing.

Apart from that, I learned a lot about how the music industry works. And that unlike musicians and songwriters in this day and age, those in the past cared about the words and how the music fit them and the singer.

It's a fascinating trip down memory lane.
945 reviews3 followers
July 21, 2020
Rosemary Clooney’s voice and singing style have captivated me since I saw “White Christmas” on TV for the first time. The woman, however, remained a mystery. I didn’t know anything about her personal life until I read this book. Refreshingly, it seems to be an honest portrayal of her life without being a typical Hollywood expose. She talks about her own triumphs and tragedies without blaming anyone else for her mistakes or trying to ruin anyone else’s reputation. She was so much more than just a girl singer.
Profile Image for Nancy Loe.
Author 7 books45 followers
December 22, 2009
Rosemary Clooney - what a life! I began this book admiring a singer and ended it admiring the person. This candid autobiography made me glad she found happiness later in life.

Rereading this one and still hating on José Ferrer.
Profile Image for Mary.
383 reviews
October 29, 2016
hmm, I wanted to like rosemary but oh my goodness. she had no self control, no self discipline, no confidence. book was enjoyable, easy read, but I was disappointed in her self. Bing was her mentor. obviously I like the old days so fun to hear some of the old stories.
Profile Image for Karla Martinsen.
148 reviews2 followers
June 19, 2018
Very interesting to learn about the voices and songs you grew up with. Just points out again, fame is not all it's made out to be.
Profile Image for Kiana.
1,123 reviews50 followers
December 26, 2022
My feelings toward Girl Singer would be more generous if I hadn't previously read Rosemary Clooney's other autobiography, This For Remembrance, published almost 20 years before this one. Girl Singer is far closer to your standard celebrity autobiography than its predecessor, taking readers chronologically from the Ms. Clooney's childhood up until the present day, but it felt like a more surface-level experience overall. While there is more material in this book—This For Remembrance focused more specifically on certain events and wasn't very linear in structure—it's less detailed, and I didn't find it as engaging or personal, despite being technically more comprehensive.

That said, Ms. Clooney had a remarkable life, and I wholeheartedly agree with her strong feelings on the importance of diction. This book also had the tidbit about one of her sons killing the other on Miami Vice, which I found pretty hilarious.
Profile Image for Cynthia Bemis Abrams.
172 reviews2 followers
December 11, 2025
As celebrity memoirs go, this one is pretty honest and detailed. And I write this having not read Rosemary's 1977 memoir, which may have covered elements of her life more extensively.

However, what is contained in this book is a brilliant blend of personal and professional storytelling, combined with her own reflections of life, love and past indiscretions. It should have exceeded 300 pages, as I appreciated reading her wisdom expressed not just from experience as a "girl singer," but as someone who almost didn't survive Hollywood and fame, as a mother and grandmother. Some of her strongest personal material is around her relationship and lack of closure with her mother.

But, bottom line, we're fortunate that Rosemary provided us this fine work!
225 reviews2 followers
January 9, 2023
This was a pretty light-hearted book about Rosemary Clooney but also has insights into several other Hollywood royalty like Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Irving Berlin. She deals with some serious issues in her life--infidelity, drug misuse, psychosis, suicide. (Ok, maybe it just felt light after reading The Light of Days). Some swearing.
Profile Image for Donie Nelson.
191 reviews1 follower
March 4, 2017
Knew nothing about Clooney until this book. What a survivor!
Profile Image for Al Price.
228 reviews
September 21, 2018
Really enjoyable lighthearted and charming. The book kept me engaged, but was also easy to put down for a while and return to. A great portrait of her career and personal life.
Profile Image for Sharon.
22 reviews8 followers
April 11, 2021
This was a really fun read, and Rosemary Clooney, through her book, is as awesome as I hoped she would be.
Profile Image for Carolyn.
436 reviews2 followers
July 6, 2023
"Girl Singer" is a good reminder that the Golden Age of Hollywood with all of its supposed glamour and class wasn't all it appeared to be.
Profile Image for Robin.
43 reviews
March 3, 2025
She was a bit before my time, but I have like her since I discovered White Christmas years ago. Thank you Rosemary for sharing your story in what seemed, honestly.
Profile Image for Mike.
25 reviews
August 13, 2025
One of the most entertaining celebrity memoirs I’ve read. She made every aspect of her life interesting, even the usually “boring” parts. Even a casual fan would appreciate this book!
Profile Image for Steven.
955 reviews8 followers
November 20, 2025
Very well written account of Rosemary's life filled with drama, emotion and some very honest stories. The last bit did draga little but it's pretty solid overall.
Profile Image for Deborah.
88 reviews19 followers
April 15, 2008
Of course, Rosemary Clooney's book was written well before the James Frey-inspired "autobiography" vs. "memoirs" debate, so I'll cut some slack on the semantics. That being said, I would probably classify this book in the memoirs category. The content is broken up into short accounts of the author's fascinating memories--each ranging from a few paragraphs to a few pages. These brief reminiscences are grouped in a semi-chronological fashion into simple, numbered chapters.

In favor of "autobiography," I will grant that Ms. Clooney takes great pains to describe her past behavior and experiences objectively, the good and the bad, alike. From my perspective, I found the self-critical portions of the book to more detailed and less interesting than they should have been. For one thing, the author's otherwise natural, personable voice fades into the tone of an obligatory confession. In other words, although these passages may contain facts which are true, the voice does not ring true. There's also an issue of balance--if she really did commit an equal wrong against others for each wrong committed at her expense, then there's nothing left to despise or with which to empathize. For a few examples, she describes both the pain of being neglected by her mother and her failure to nurture her own children, her father's alcohol abuse and her own drug abuse, her husband's extramarital affairs and her own flings with married men.

Some passages struck me as overly dramatic and even a little confusing--especially those expressing personal opinions about other celebrities within her own circle; the reader does not have the benefit of knowing the presumably complicated back-stories behind the author's strong feelings. In this respect, once again, I think the writing style is more typical of a memoirs.

My favorite excerpts from the book involve encounters and conversations with other shining stars of the era: Billie Holiday (godmother to one of Rosemary's children because, in Billie's words, "It takes a bad woman to be a godmother!"), Marlon Brando (with pet possum and bongo drums), Tony Bennett (a young singer by the name of Anthony Dominick Benedetto as of their first meeting), and Nat King Cole, who gave her a piece of valuable advice about singing those crowd-pleasing numbers which artists tend to loathe, "It doesn't matter whether I like it or not,” he said, “It's your memory, and I respect that, and I'll do it for you as well as I can." From her book, it is evident that the girl singer of “Come On-a My House” fame took this lesson to heart.
Profile Image for Kathy.
329 reviews
November 4, 2007
I have loved Rosemary Clooney since I saw White Christmas on a black and white television when I was a child. Later when I looked up famous people born the same day as myself, I was delighted to see her name.
I started this book on our house hunting-trip to Moscow. After I got back to California, I only read bits and pieces for a month and then I finished it on the plane ride to Colorado.
The parents that she had were totally undependable - in and out of her life. She learned at an early age she had to take care of herself and not rely on anyone else. The most secure people in her life were her grandmother, her Uncle George and her younger sister Betty.
When she married Jose Ferrer, he didn’t stop dating. He was older and much more sophisticated. But they had a connection that held them together (besides 5 children). Later in life, he told their daughter that even though they were divorced he still needed her.
She talks about the breakdown she had, driving on the wrong side of the road daring God to let her have a head-on collision. When she took one of the daughters to Europe with her, Joe showed up to be with them. She found out later that the daughter had called him from the airport, scared to be with her.
When she lost both of her parents within months of each other she was in a deep depression and accidentally reconnected with Dante Dipaolo. She had been dating him before she married Joe, and probably should have married him. They lived together for 25 years and finally got married “for the sake of the grandchildren”.
This book was very candid and I loved having a glimpse into her very private life and thoughts.
Profile Image for Kristin.
1,069 reviews36 followers
March 14, 2013
I have this strange fascination with reading autobiographies/memoirs/biographies about famous people that I'm interested in. Most of the time I don't particularly enjoy them, so I don't know why I feel the need to continue reading them. :) Anyway, a few bits of this one were good. In some cases I liked hearing behind-the-scenes stories of famous people she knew, but in others I would rather not have known. I couldn't quite understand the morals, either. Towards the beginning of her career, Rosemary mentions having several boyfriends at the same time and even dating married men. But then when she discovers that a man has been unfaithful to her, she is so hurt and confused. Double standards?? Most of the book was kind of depressing because of her husband being unfaithful and her mental problems later on. I'm glad she got her life back on track later on, but it wasn't very enjoyable to read about all of the rough patches.

I did love that she repeatedly says "Fancy Meeting You Here," an album recorded with Bing Crosby while she was pregnant with one of her children, is her all-time favorite album. Because it's my favorite vinyl album that I own. The banter between the two was amazing and so much fun. :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews

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