Bea Wain
Her crystal-clear voice defined the late 1930s airwaves, making her a household name before she and her husband became radio's first couple for decades.
1917–2017 (age 100)·American jazz singer and radio personality·Birthday: April 30·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bea Wain's voice was the sound of a generation falling in love. Discovered by bandleader Larry Clinton, her warm, precise contralto turned pop songs and novelties into massive hits, with records like 'My Reverie' and 'Heart and Soul' selling in the millions and dominating jukeboxes. Crowned 'The Number One Girl Singer of 1939' by Billboard, her radio presence was just as potent; she was a star on 'Your Hit Parade' and 'The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street.' Her most enduring partnership, however, was with announcer Andre Baruch, whom she married in 1938. Together, they pioneered the husband-and-wife radio team, hosting conversation-driven shows like 'Mr. and Mrs. Music' for over four decades, their easy chemistry a comforting staple in American homes. Wain's career elegantly bridged the big band era and the golden age of radio, sustained not by diva theatrics, but by genuine talent and relatable charm.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bea was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bea Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Bea's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1947Turned 30
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 40
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 50
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 60
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 70
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 80
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2017Died at 100
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
Key Achievements
- Her recording of 'My Reverie' with Larry Clinton and His Orchestra sold over a million copies in 1938, becoming a defining hit of the era.
- Was voted the number one female band vocalist in a 1939 Billboard poll, a major industry recognition at the time.
- With husband Andre Baruch, created and hosted the long-running radio show 'Mr. and Mrs. Music,' a staple from the 1940s to the 1980s.
Did You Know?
She was the vocalist on the original 1938 recording of 'Deep Purple,' which became a massive hit and a standard.
She and her husband Andre Baruch were among the first to broadcast the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor on New York radio.
After retiring from performing, she worked for a time as a radio producer for the Christian Science Monitor.
“Sing the melody straight, and let the orchestra swing around you.”
