Caro Roma Explained

Caro Roma
Birth Name:Carrie Northey
Birth Date:September 10, 1866
Birth Place:California, U.S.
Death Date:September 22, 1937
Death Place:Oakland, California, U.S.
Occupation:Singer, songwriter

Caro Roma (September 10,[1] 1866 – September 22, 1937) was the stage name of Carrie Northey, an American singer and composer known for Tin Pan Alley era songs.

Early life and education

Carrie Northey[2] was born in Oakland, California, the daughter of Vernal Sidney Northey, who operated a forge.[3] [4] She studied in Boston at the New England Conservatory of Music, graduating in 1888.[5]

Career

Northey began performing on stage at age three, and as a teenager toured in Canada as orchestra conductor for a French opera company. She became prima donna with the Henry Savage Opera Company in Boston and sang opera in the United States and in Europe, where she performed for royalty including King Edward VII.[6] She made recordings as early as 1899. During World War I, she gave benefit concerts in New Jersey, and sang with the United States Marine Band. She toured in the American South in 1919.[7]

Northey wrote songs and poetry as a child and developed her composition skills during her years as a performer. She sang whole recitals of her own works as early as 1909, and sang her own works in radio concerts.[8] [9] She received a best song award from the American National Composers' and Authors' Association in 1924. In 1932 at age 71, Northey performed nineteen of her songs at a concert in Los Angeles.[10] [11]

Roma married Jesse Douglas. She died after a stroke in 1937, in Oakland, at the age of 72.

Works

Besides her Tin Pan Alley songs, Northey wrote poetry, sea songs, and religious works, and composed at least one song cycle. Selected works include:

In collaboration with composer Ernest R. Ball, she also wrote the lyrics for:

Notes and References

  1. Book: Briscoe, Johnson . The Actors' Birthday Book . 1908 . Moffat, Yard . 206 . en.
  2. "Northly" has been cited as a variant version of her original surname, but Federal Census records and her obituary and death record all show "Northey" as the spelling.
  3. News: 1909-02-07 . Cora Roma famous Singer Coming to the Pacific Coast is a Native Daughter of Rare Talent . 2024-05-04 . Oakland Tribune . 2 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: 1937-09-24 . Caro Roma Rites Sunday; Funeral to be Held in Oakland . 2024-05-04 . The San Francisco Examiner . 3 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: 1937-09-23 . Caro Roma, Singer, Dead; End Comes to Opera Star and Composer, Pioneer Oaklander . 2024-05-04 . Oakland Tribune . 4 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: Guisard . 1903-01-25 . Caro Roma, Though Glad to Be Home Again, Says We Work Too Hard Here . 2024-05-04 . The San Francisco Call and Post . 22 . Newspapers.com.
  7. December 11, 1919 . Caro Roma Charms the South . Musical Courier . 79 . 22 . 8.
  8. News: 1925-03-24 . KPO . 2024-05-04 . San Francisco Bulletin . 11 . Newspapers.com.
  9. News: 1925-08-17 . KLX to Present U.S. Composers on Air Tonight . 2024-05-04 . Oakland Tribune . 7 . Newspapers.com.
  10. Web site: In Search of Women In American Song:A neglected musical heritage. 3 November 2010.
  11. Book: The Norton/Grove dictionary of women composers. Julie Anne. Sadie. Rhian. Samuel. 1994. W. W. Norton & Company . 9780393034875. 4 October 2010.
  12. November 1918 . 'Ring Out, Sweet Bells of Peace!' Timely and Appropriate Song by Wm. H. Gardner and Caro Roma . The Musical Monitor . 8 . 3 . 137.

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