The Complete Warner Bros. Singles

Although the Brooklyn-born Connie Stevens, daughter of singer Teddy Stevens, got her initial entertainment experience as a vocalist, she received her first national attention as an actor. Signed in the late '50s to the Warner Bros. motion picture division, she appeared in movies and starred in television shows (Hawaiian Eye, Wendy & Me) and famously guested on the popular show 77 Sunset Strip in 1959. (A novelty duet recorded at the time with Edd "Kookie" Byrnes -- "Kookie Kookie Lend Me Your Comb" -- was her first big hit single.) Warner Bros. released her debut album around the same time, and Stevens had concurrent acting and recording success in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, with frothy pop singles like "Sixteen Reasons," "Too Young to Go Steady," and "Blame It on My Youth." This 36-track compilation brings together all her singles and B-sides from that era, many of which have not been heard since their vinyl releases. The songs are fun, and Stevens' voice has plenty of warmth and personality, especially on hidden gems like the campy cabaret romp "Man Soll Sich So Schnell Nicht Verlieben" and the cha-cha confection "A Little Kiss Is a Kiss Is a Kiss." Fans of the actress and collectors of pop and Hollywood ephemera will appreciate the thoroughness of the collection.