Gracie Barrie

Biography

A stylish singer for big bands and some 30s Broadway musicals, Barrie had a small role in the lavish 1933 Broadway revue Strike Me Pink, starring Jimmy Durante. Barrie sang Lew Brown and Ray Henderson's 'It's Great To Be Alive'. She played a much bigger part in George White's Scandals Of 1936, in which she co-starred with Rudy Vallee and Bert Lahr, and sang two songs with completely different points of view; 'Life Begins At Sweet Sixteen' and 'I've Got To Be Hot'. In the same year she appeared in Vincente Minnelli's 'dazzling' revue, The Show Is On, alongside Beatrice Lillie and, again, Lahr. Besides 'Now' and 'Rhythm', Barrie also sang George and Ira Gershwin's humorous homage to the waltz form, 'By Strauss'. During the late 30s, Barrie sang for a spell with drummer Abe Lyman's band before joining her husband, Dick Stabile's orchestra, as vocalist in 1940. She took over as leader when Stabile left for military service. Soon after he returned in 1945, they separated. Barrie continued for some time as a solo performer, but then faded from the scene. Her records with the band included 'At Last', 'He's My Guy' and 'You're Easy To Dance With'.