Helen Ward

Helen Ward (September 19, 1916 was an American jazz singer. She appeared on radio broadcasts with WOR and WNYC and worked as a staff musician at WNYC. She was most known for her hit cover of the Johnny Mercer song "Goody-Goody"

Early years Helen Ward was born on September 19, 1916 in New York City, the daughter of an Austrian father. Impresario Billy Rose heard her audition for Goodman and booked Goodman and Ward for the Let's Dance radio program. During her time with Goodman, Ward's most memorable songs included "Hooray For Love", "The Dixieland Band", "You’re a Heavenly Thing," "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea", "It’s Been So Long", “These Foolish Things", and "You Turned the Tables on Me", as well as her hit cover of Johnny Mercer's "Goody-Goody" for which she is most remembered. In 1952, she recorded an album of Dixieland tunes with "Wild" Bill Davison and also made several appearances with Larry Clinton and Peanuts Hucko in 1956. She eventually stopped performing altogether and spent her later years in Falls Church, Virginia.

Death Ward died of heart ailments at Vencor Hospital in Arlington, Virginia at the age of 82.

Discography As leader It's Been So Long (Columbia, 1953) The Complete Helen Ward on Columbia (Collector's Choice, 2000)

As guest Larry Clinton, Larry Clinton in Hi Fi (RCA Victor, 1957) Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson Arrangements (Columbia, 1953) Benny Goodman, The Golden Age of Swing (RCA Victor, 1956) Peanuts Hucko, With a Little Bit of Swing (RCA Victor, 1958) Harry James, The Uncollected Harry James and His Orchestra 1943–1946 Vol. 2 (Hindsight, 1978)