Old Radio

Kate Smith was born on this day in 1907, and it's not every day we get to celebrate the birth of the First Lady of Radio. The Kate Smith Show  featured not only Smith's rich voice but comedy skits, musical performances, even drama. Guests included Gene Kelley , Al Jolson , Dorothy Lamour , and Ed Sullivan . What's more, Henny Youngman served as regulars, delivering their now legendary radio comedy . Some of you may remember a lesser-known program, Kate Smith Speaks, on which "The Songbird of the South" gave her opinions on current events issues. One thing you may not know about her was that it was she who introduced the public to Irving Berlin's rousing anthem "God Bless America" in 1938. Happy Birthday, first lady!

  April 4, 1938: Kate Smith started her debut on a new noontime talk show after 7 years she sang on the airwaves. Even when she was a kid, Kate Smith already love to dance and sing. She used to perform on theaters and nightclubs before she was discovered by Ted Collins in 1930. Collins was Columbia Records' Vice President who became Smith's partner and manager. He put her on a radio show in 1931 where she experience a huge success. Seven years later, due to the popularity of her radio show, she was also given another one, a day daytime talk show entitled Kate Smith Speaks-- a news and gossip radio program .