Toni Arden

Antoinette Ardizzone (February 15, 1924 – May 29, 2012) , known professionally as Toni Arden, was an American traditional pop singer. Often described as "a little girl with a big voice," Toni Arden enjoyed a long and productive career of recording and performing which began when she was a mere 15 years old and continued into the new millennium. Her brother, Jan Arden, was also a singer. The siblings teamed up for night club performances in the late 1950s. Her parents met in Italy before emigrating to the United States, where they settled in Greenwich Village, New York City, to raise their family. and a two-CD set released by Jasmine Records. Her recording of "Too Young" was used in the soundtrack of the 1952 Akira Kurosawa film Ikiru.

In the mid-1950s she signed with Decca Records, where her biggest selling record (her only million-seller) was "Padre" in 1958, which peaked at No. 13. LP albums included Miss Toni Arden, Besame! Toni in Latin America, Sing a Song of Italy and Italian Gold. She sang in both Italian and English. The first two albums have been compiled on a second CD by the Sepia Records label. She also recorded briefly for RCA Victor and Mercury Records. Her last album, released in 1981 titled My World is You (on GPRT Records), featured the compositions of Gladys Shelley. In 1956, she was featured on an episode of What's New in Music on CBS.

Television Arden made guest appearances on numerous television variety shows during the 1950s and early 1960s, primarily as a performer singing her popular songs. Arden appeared on The Bing Crosby Show, This Is Show Business, The Dick Clark Show, and The Jimmy Dean Show. She and her brother, Jan, sang two duets on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1949, 1952, and 1959. She also appeared on television programs such as The Dinah Shore Show in 1955. She also appeared on the Merv Griffin Show in 1962.

Filmography

Sunny Side of the Street (1951, performer: "I May Be Wrong (But I Think You're Wonderful)")

Carnival in April (1953 short film, performer: "I'll Remember April", "I'm Shooting High") Senior Prom (1958, singer)

Discography 1955 Shep Fields and his Orchestra with Toni Arden (Royale, 18142) 1958 Miss Toni Arden (Decca Records, DL 8651) 1958 Sing a Song of Italy (Decca Records, DL 8765) 1959 Besame! Toni in Latin America (Decca Records, DL 8875) 1959 The Exciting Toni Arden (Harmony, HL 7212) 1963 Italian Gold (Decca Records, DL 4375) 1964 Stars for Defense (Office of Civil Defense) 1968 The Life of Christ (Manor Records, MRS 201) 2004 Al Trace and his Musicians featuring Toni Arden (Circle Records, CCD-109) 2005 I Can Dream, Can't I? (Jasmine Records, JASCD 644) 2005 This Is Toni Arden (Sepia Records, SEPIA 1050) 2012 Besame! (Sepia Records, SEPIA 1188) 2021 The Toni Arden Collection 1944-61 (Acrobat Music, ADDCD3375) Toni Arden In American Love Songs (Tiara Records, TST 525) The Bing Crosby Show (Redmond Nostalgia, CD-172)

Compilation albums

1957 Meet the Girls (Halo, 50254), "Two Loves" , "Let's Be Sweethearts Again"

1959 The Girl Friends (Harmony, HL 7148), "A Little Love a Little Kiss", "I Can Dream, Can't I?" America's Sweethearts featuring Kitty Kallen, Toni Arden, Fran Warren (Viking, VK 019) The Girl Friends (American Radio Transcription Library, A.R.T. 118), "All of Me" American Vocal Parade II (Philips, B 07643 R), "F'r Instance" Music from Latin America (Decca Records, DL 38078), "Medley: La Paloma, La Golondrina" Buitoni Presents Souvenir of Italy (Decca Records, DL 38291), "Medley: Vieni su - Vicini u mare - Drigo's Serenade", "Fa la nana bambin"

Death She died at her home in Lake Worth, Florida, on May 29, 2012 at the age of 88.