THE POP SIDE.(Keely Smith)(Brief Article)(Interview)

Recently, I was browsing in Tower Records when the unmistakable voice of Keely Smith poured forth from the loudspeakers. The song was "Down Mexico Way." I didn't know Smith had ever recorded it, and I started flipping through the bin to see which of her old albums was being played. But it wasn't an old album -- it was a brand-new CD, Keely Sings Sinatra, a tribute to her late, great friend. Known as the "First Lady of Las Vegas" ever since her marriage to swing king Louis Prima, with whom she recorded numerous 1950s hits, including an immortal rendition of "That Old Black Magic," Smith obviously has been taking good care of herself. The voice was as fresh and youthful as ever, the phrasing and breath control remarkable. The Smith sound has always had a distinctive buoyancy; her style is usually cool and controlled, yet her singing never fails to give the listener a lift. At age sixty-nine, how does she do it? While she was in New York recently for a three-week engagement at Feinstein's at the Regency, OPERA NEWS decided to find out.

KEELY SMITH: I think it has to do with the fact that I think young. I'm in great health. I'm a positive thinker. I have convinced myself I will not get old or ill. I never smoked. I was never into drugs. I never drank. I take that back. When Louis and I were divorced, I drank. I wasn't good at it. And one night, I didn't remember driving home, and that was the end of that. So I don't really do anything to hurt my body or my throat. Your throat is a muscle. And if you take care of it, and don't abuse it ....

OPERA NEWS: The top part of your voice is so bright and brilliant -- just naturally so, I assume.

KS: It's natural. I've never taken a lesson.

ON: That's not unusual for pop singers.

KS: I don't think Frank read music. And you know, I think it's better for you if you don't know what's right or wrong, because then you're free to do whatever you want to do. I know one time I was recording the song "Fascination." And when we started recording, I sang, "It was fascination, I know," and the conductor said, "No, no, no." I looked at him. He said, `You can't sing it that way." I said, "Why not?" He said, "Well, the way [it's written] was `FASCI-NAAAAAAAAAA-TION, I know.'" I said, "I can't break up words like that." Had I known how to read music, I would have sung it the way it was written. So I think it's better when you don't know.

ON: Your vocal production always has such ease and security, even when you're creating a really exciting sound.