Caterina Valente

Caterina Germaine Maria Valente (14 January 1931 – 9 September 2024) was an Italian-French multilingual singer, guitarist, and dancer. She spoke six languages and sang in thirteen. While she was best known as a performer in Europe, Valente spent part of her career in the United States, where she performed alongside Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Perry Como, and Ella Fitzgerald, among others.

Life and career Caterina Valente was born in Paris on 14 January 1931 Her parents were musicians from a family that had been in show business for seven generations. Her mother was a artist and a mime. Valente also made three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. In 1968 she was the first entertainer to receive the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Sy Oliver, Buddy Rich Woody Herman, Recordings remained rare because of conflicting rights of labels. In Germany she performed on more than 100 television shows (such as Musik ist Trumpf), presented the series Circus, Circus, and hosted her own show Wünsche, die ich mir erfülle from 1981. Bravo, Catrin, a 1986 show in German marking her 50th anniversary on stage, was seen by about 17 million people. Valente retired in 2003. In 2021 the song went viral on social media platform TikTok, thanks to its use in a video trend that has amassed over 250 million views. The trend originated from Latin countries and South America and then became popular in Italy and Germany.

Valente died at home in Lugano, Switzerland, on 9 September 2024 at the age of 93. She recorded 1,500 songs, chansons and Schlager, performed in 13 languages. Olé Caterina, 1957 (Decca DL-8436) Plenty Valente!, 1957 (Decca DL 8440) with Sy Oliver and his orchestra A Toast to the Girls, 1958 (Decca DL 8755) Schlagerparade 1958 (Decca DL 8852) À la Carte – Caterina Valente Sings in French, 1959 (Decca DL 4050) Arriba!, 1959 (Decca DL 4051) More Schlagerparade 1960 (Decca DL 4035) Fire & Frenzy – Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros Orchestra, 1960 (London SW 99019) Classics with a Chaser, 1960 (RCA Victor LPM-2119) The Greatest... in Any Language!, 1961 (Decca DL 4052) Super-Fonics, 1961 (RCA LSP-2241) I Wish You Love, 1962 (London PS 275), elsewhere released as Great Continental Hits, Decca Strictly U.S.A., 1962 (London LL 3307)

I Happen to Like New York, 1964 (London LL 3362) Valente & Violins, 1964 (London 3363) Golden Favorites, 1964 (Decca DL-4504) compilation The Intimate Valente, 1966. London LL 3473 Sweet Beat, 1968 (London PS 536) Silk 'N' Latin – Caterina Valente with Edmundo Ros & His Orchestra, 1969 (London 44125)

Brazil

Caterina – A Cosmopolita, Polydor 46065

Peru Caterina Cherie, 1959. Polydor 46310

Argentina Una Cita Con Caterina Valente (A Date With Caterina Valente), 1955. Polydor 24011, 10 inch LP Olé, Caterina! 1956. (Polydor 25019) Un Brindis para las Muchachas (Polydor 25048) Bueno... Clásico... y Popular! (Classics with a Chaser) ca. 1960. (RCA Victor LPM-2119) Classics with a Chaser 1960. (RCA Victor LPM-2119)

Colombia Cosmopolitan Lady 1958. (Polydor 46065) A Toast To The Girls 1958. (Polydor 46074)

United Kingdom Great Continental Hits, 1962. Decca LK 4508 Valente In Swingtime, 1963. Decca SKL 4537 I Happen to Like New York, 1964. Decca LK 4630 Caterina Valente's Greatest Hits, 1965. Decca LK 4737 Nothing But Aces – Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros, 1969. Decca PFS.4157 The World of Caterina Valente, 1971. Decca SPA 192

Australia I Happen to Like New York, 1964. World Record Club S/4384,

The Best of Caterina Valente, 1967. SUMMIT Karussell SRA 250–548 (on the cover)/2430 032 (on the label)

Germany A Date With Caterina Valente, 1955. Polydor 45 517 Plenty Valente!, 1957. Polydor LPHM 43.037 Olé Caterina!, 1957. Polydor 46 029 LPHM Weltschlager mit Caterina Valente, 1959. Polydor Sonderauflage Bertelsmann J 53503, 10 inch LP Super-Fonics, 1959. RCA LSP-2241 Konzert für Frack und Petticoat – Classics with a Chaser, 1960. RCA LSP-2119 Caterina in Italia, 1961. Decca BLK 16211-P Caterina Valente & Silvio Francesco: Deutsche Evergreens, 1961. Decca SLK 16 189 P Caterina on Tour, 1962. Decca BLK 16213-P with Heinz Kiessling Ihre großen Erfolge, 1962. Polydor. Pariser Chic, Pariser Charme, 1963. Decca SLK 16266 P Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Latein Amerikanische Rhythmen, 1964. Decca BLK 16184-P I Happen to Like New York, 1964. Decca SLK 16 290 with John Keating and Orchestra Wenn es Nacht wird in den Städten, 1965. Decca SLK 16 345 Bonjour Kathrin – Caterina Valente präsentiert ihre größten Erfolge, 1965 compilation. Amiga Bonjour Kathrin, Karussell, 1965 compilation. Amiga 635 106 Tanz mit Catrin, 1965. HÖR ZU TELDEC HZT 514 The Best Of Caterina Valente, 1967 compilation. Polydor 184047 Die großen Erfolge 1967. Decca ND 103, Stereo Happy Caterina, 1967. Decca SLK 16485-P Portrait in Music, 1968 compilation. Decca SLK 16 420-P Schlager, Lieder & Chansons, 1968. Decca ND 182 Schlager, Lieder & Chansons 2, 1969. Decca ND 557 Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Olé Mambo, 1969. Decca 79 505 Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros: Latin together, 1970. Decca SLK 16849-P Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe – Caterina Valente singt ihre Welterfolge, 1970. Karussell Ich wär so gern bei Dir, 1980 compilation. Polydor 2459 504

Japan Cosmopolitan Lady, 10 inch LP Caterina Latin Album, 1963 De Luxe Latin Album, 1966

South Africa Latein Amerikanische Rhythmen, 1960 Du bist Musik, 1956 (45106 LPH – Polydor Sternchen)

Films Valente's films include: 1961: Bravo Otto, "Female singers" Gold (also 1960, 1962 and 1963 in Silver)

1965: "FAME Award", US 1966: Goldene Kamera, Germany

1986: Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 1995: Bambi "Lifetime-Award", Germany

2002: Echo Music Prize, "Lifetime-Award" Germany