Dinah Shore A Classic Chevy Legend

Dinah Shore

A Classic Chevy Legend

See the USA in Your Chevrolet  -Alan Arnell

  See the USA in your Chevrolet,

America is asking you to call,

Drive your Chevrolet through the USA

America's the greatest land of all...

 

Many of the Baby Boomer generation and sadly not so many of the the Millennial generation had the pleasure to see performances by Dinah Shore. Her passing in 1994 was a loss for everyone who enjoyed her laid back talk show format, smooth singing voice and Southern Charm.

The more seasoned Baby Boomer-car enthusiasts will remember her for hosting “The Dinah Shore

Chevy Show.” Many shows at the time were sponsored by large corporations. Car companies were big sponsors for 50's TV. Up until the second decade of the 21's century and Netflix and the like came on the TV and electronic devices, new TV shows started in the Fall of the year. Why? That was when the new models of cars came on the market. Then, as now, higher traffic or in this case, ratings, brought in the most advertising revenue.

“The Dinah Shore Chevy Show” first aired on NBC October 5, 1956. The format was a monthly Friday night special until the new cars came out and then the show became a weekly Sunday night program.

Dinah would end each show with a kiss blown to her viewers. After the kiss she would sing a small portion, due to time constraints, of the song “See the USA in Your Chevrolet.”

For us later born Baby Boomers, Dinah is remembered for her daytime talk shows and dating Burt Reynolds. Bert was the most typical 1970's super star-movie star. He was known for his mustache and driving a Trans-Am in the Movie “Smokey and the Bandit.” Besides the couple's Hollywood fame; the two were in the gossip magazines, because there could not have been more two different people in a famous relationship. Bert the curse word-using, raunchy, good old boy with a heroic heart and Dinah the TV show host, former radio star and sweet natured blond. The two stars together as a couple captivated the nation. As for myself, I can not remember two less likely candidates for a genuine, no nonsense and then “wheels off” famous couple in the public eye. They were kinda like Jesse James, of West Coast Chopper Fame, now Austin Speed Shop and his TV show J.J Outlaw Garage, together with actress Sandra Bullock.

Besides her TV word, Dinah was once a popular big band singer, star of radio and feature films. Born Frances "Fanny" Rose Shore in Winchester, TN, she contracted polio when she was a year and a half old and was left with a crippled right leg that was eventually strengthened by massage, swimming and tennis.

Dinah attended Vanderbilt University where she was president of her sorority. While in school, she received lessons in voice and acting, gaining early exposure on Nashville's WSM radio. Following graduation in 1938, Dinah moved to New York to launch a singing career where she made her professional debut on New York's WNEW radio. Her first big break came when she was hired to sing with the Leo Reisman Orchestra.

Dinah took her stage name from a popular song, "Dinah."

By 1940, Shore had won many fans and was named "New Star of Radio 1940." She launched her film career in the 1943 revue of “Thank Your Lucky Stars” and went on to appear in a few more films of the '40s and early '50s.

As many stars did in the 50's, Dinah went into to TV performances. Her first show, “The Dinah Shore Show” was 15 minutes long and aired twice weekly, featuring singing and the occasional guest. She became the first woman to host her own variety show in 1957.

From 1943 and 1962 she was married to actor George Montgomery.

Sadly, Dinah Shore died of cancer in 1994, but not before giving many much loved performances and singing an early theme song for the Chevrolet Cooperation.

photos here and video of see the usa

Dinah singing the full version of "See the USA in Your Chevrolet" and giving her signature blown kiss to all of her fans.

Dinah and Bob Hope in a 1957 TV Commercial for the '57 instant Classic Car Chevy