Linda Scott

Linda Scott (born Linda Joy Sampson; June 1, 1945) is an American pop singer and actress who was active from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Her biggest hit was the 1961 million-selling single "I've Told Every Little Star"., She was attending junior high school in Teaneck when she auditioned to appear on Arthur Godfrey's popular CBS Radio show in 1959. After having won a place on the program, Sampson and other young performers became regular guests. During the show's run, the singer came to the attention of Epic Records and made her recording debut (as Linda Sampson) with the single "In-Between Teen".

Though still in Teaneck High School (class of ‘63), in 1961 she signed with Canadian-American Records, which had struck gold with Santo & Johnny's "Sleep Walk". The label changed her performing name to Linda Scott, producing and releasing the hit "I've Told Every Little Star," a standard written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern for their 1932 production Music In The Air. The track sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc for Scott.

Scott's final U.S. chart appearance was "Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed," released in January 1964, the same month that The Beatles made their first chart appearance. In 1965, she became a cast member of the variety show Where the Action Is, which she co-hosted with singer Steve Alaimo. Her last U.S. recording, "They Don't Know You", was released in 1967 on RCA Records. She continued to record as a backing vocalist (most notably on Lou Christie's 1969 hit, "I'm Gonna Make You Mine") before finally quitting show business in the early 1970s.

In 2022, Scott's hit I've Told Every Little Star was featured in an advertisement for store H&M, introducing a whole new generation of fans to her music.

Personal life Scott was stationed in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, for two years as an army laboratory technician and received a degree in Theology from Kingsway Christian College and Theological Seminary in Des Moines, Iowa, according to an interview she gave to Goldmine in 1987. During her time in the army, she met and married a fellow serviceman. The marriage produced one child in 1973 but ended in divorce. She later taught music at the Christian Academy in New York City.

The compilation CD The Complete Hits of Linda Scott was released by Eric Records in 1995, while her recording of "I've Told Every Little Star" was included in director David Lynch's film Mulholland Drive.

Discography Albums YearAlbumRecord label 1961 Starlight, Starbright Canadian-American Records 1962 Great Scott! Canadian-American Records 1962 Linda Congress Records 1965 Hey, Look At Me Now! Kapp Records

Singles YearTitlePeak chartpositionsRecord LabelB-sideAlbum US USAC USR&B UK 1959 "In-Between Teen" (as Linda Sampson) — — — — Epic Records "Lover of the Year" 1961 "I've Told Every Little Star" 3 — 22 7 Canadian-AmericanRecords "Three Guesses" Starlight, Starbright "Don't Bet Money Honey" 9 3 — 50 "Starlight, Starbright" (US #44) "I Don't Know Why" 12 2 — — "It's All Because" (US #50) 1962 "Yessiree" 60 — — — Congress Records "Town Crier" (US #116) Linda "Bermuda" 70 16 — — Canadian-AmericanRecords "Lonely for You" "Count Every Star" 41 10 — — "Land of Stars" Starlight, Starbright "Never in a Million Years" 56 15 — — Congress Records "Through the Summer" Linda "I Left My Heart in the Balcony" 74 — — — "Lopsided Love Affair" "I'm So Afraid of Losing You" — — — — "The Loneliest Girl in Town" 1963 "Ain't That Fun" — — — — "Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" "Let's Fall in Love" 108 — — — "I Know It, You Know It" 1964 "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" 100 — — — "My Heart" "Everybody Stopped Laughing at Janie" — — — — "I Envy You" "That Old Feeling" — — — — Kapp Records "This Is My Prayer" Hey, Look at Me Now! 1965 "Patch It Up" 135 — — — "If I Love Again" "Don't Lose Your Head" — — — — "I'll See You in My Dreams" "You Baby" — — — — "I Can't Get Through to You" 1966 "Take a Walk, Bobby" — — — — "Toys" 1967 "They Don't Know You" — — — — RCA Victor "Three Miles High"

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1962 Don't Knock the Twist Linda Scott Musical, sings "Yesiree"