Original released on LP Carlton 12/132 (mono)
(US, 1961)
A popular
singer of the '60s, Anita Bryant has been known as a beauty queen, a singer, a Florida citrus
spokeswoman, and later an advocate against homosexuality. Her hits, which made
both the British and American charts, include "'Till There Was You,"
"Paper Roses" and "In My Little Corner of the World." Born
in Oklahoma,
Bryant's musical career began at a very early age. She first performed on stage
at the age of six, and three years later she won her first talent show. It was
after this victory that she won a spot on Arthur Godfrey's talent show on television.
From there her musical career blossomed, and the singer - known as Oklahoma's "Red
Feather Girl" - made her recording debut in 1956 with the single
"Sinful to Flirt." In 1958, she was crowned Miss Oklahoma and moved on to the Miss America
pageant, where she came in third thanks to her musical talents. "'Till
There Was You" from The Music Man was Anita Bryant's first chart-topping
hit in 1959. She released three albums on the Carlton label ("Anita Bryant", "In Your Home
Tonight" and this "In My Little Corner of the World"), and hit number one again in 1960
with Bert Kaempfert's "Wonderland of Night." (Marie Osmond later
recorded another of Bryant's songs, "In My Little Corner of the
World," for her own hit.) In 1962, Anita Bryant switched to Columbia and recorded a
series of inspirational titles as well as standard pop albums. During the '70s,
she recorded several albums for the religious label Wood, though the transition
never lacked the boisterous singing style that had already been associated with
her. In the '80s and '90s, Anita Bryant's interests again changed. Although she
still enjoyed singing and performing, she became an advocate against
homosexuality and began working as a motivational speaker. She continued to
sing in numerous performances throughout the season at The Anita Bryant Theater
in Branson, MO, and later at her own theater in Pigeon
Fork, TN. (Kim Summers in AllMusic)
