1952 Hitmakers
Jo Stafford would have another big year in 1952, scoring 7 more top 40 hits. Her biggest hit this year was “You Belong To Me” (#1 for 12 weeks). The Mills Brothers would score 3 hits this year-their biggest was “Glow Worm” (#1 for 3 weeks). Kay Starr would score 6 hits in 1952-her biggest was “Wheel Of Fortune” (#1 for 10 weeks).
Vera Lynn(a popular entertainer from the World War 2 era) would have 2 hits in 1952-her biggest was “Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart” (#1 for 9 weeks). Georgia Gibbs would score 3 hits this year-her biggest was “Kiss Of Fire” (#1 for 7 weeks). Al Martino would have many hits in the decade of the 1960’s, but his first major hit would come in 1952. He would score 2 hits this year-his biggest was “Here In My Heart” (#1 for 3 weeks).
Perry Como was still going strong in 1952, scoring 11 more hits-his biggest was “Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes” (#1 for 5 weeks). The Hilltoppers would begin their career as hitmakers in 1952-one hit called “Trying” (#7). Group member Billy Vaughn would become a popular orchestra leader as the 1950’s would continue to unfold. Karen Chandler would have only 1 hit this year, but it was the original version of “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” (#5).
The Gaylords had only 1 hit in 1952 but it was their first Top 40 hit. It was called “Tell Me You’re Mine” (#2). Les Paul would have 3 hits on his own this year-his biggest was “Meet Mr. Callaghan” (#5). Joni James would have 2 hits this year-her biggest hit was her first Top 40 hit, a record called “Why Don’t You Believe Me” (#1 for 6 weeks).
Johnnie Ray would have 9 hits this year-his biggest was “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home” (#4). Stan Freberg, the master of parody, would have 2 hits in 1952-his biggest was “Try” (#15). This song was a parody of Johnnie Ray’s big hit called “Cry”. Guy Mitchell would have 4 hits this year-his biggest was “Pittsburg, Pennsylvania” (#4).
Percy Faith would have just 1 hit in 1952, a song called “Delicado” (#1 for 1 week). Ray Anthony would score 6 hits this year-his biggest was “At Last”(#2 for 1 week). The Weavers would have 3 hits in 1952-their biggest was “Wimoweh” (#14). A revised version of this song would become a #1 hit in 1961-“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens.
These were just some of the recording artists that entertained us in 1952
