Andy Russell

Early life

Russell was born September 16, 1919, as Andrés Rábago Pérez in Boyle Heights, which, at the time, was an ethnically integrated, middle-class neighborhood in Eastside Los Angeles. He was the second youngest of ten children (eight boys, two girls) born to Mexican immigrant parents, Rafael Rábago and Vicenta (née Pérez), who had emigrated to United States in 1902 from the Mexican states of Durango and Chihuahua, where each had been born, respectively. His father was employed as an extra by Hollywood studios, while his mother was a housewife.

As a child, he loved listening to American popular music and Big Band, such as Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey. He idolized crooners Dick Powell, Bing Crosby, and Jack Leonard. He went wild over popular music, knew all the hit tunes, and was the neighborhood authority on every name band leader in the country. While attending school, he also worked as a newspaper vendor at a corner in downtown L.A.

He grew up in a bilingual home, hearing and speaking Spanish with his parents, while speaking English with his siblings and people outside of the home. His parents enjoyed listening to Mexican music, in particular, mariachi. At this young age, Russell did not appreciate the music of Mexico, nor did he fully comprehend the Spanish language. He felt so frustrated that he would ask his parents to speak to him in English. Moreover, he was able to learn only a little Spanish because his parents died when he was just 11 years old. His older brothers helped to raise the family.

In 1934, as a 15-year-old student in junior high school, he began his career by singing with a local swing band headed by don Ramón Cruz. This band was composed mainly of Mexican and Mexican American musicians and played primarily in East Los Angeles. He also sang with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, and other groups, until one day he was told that he also would have to play an instrument to stay with the band. Russell recalled how he dealt with this dilemma:

They said to me one night and broke my heart, they says, "Andy, we can't afford to have you as just a singer. You've got to play some instrument." I said, "But, gee, I'm a singer." And they said, "Yeah, we're paying you two dollars, two-fifty a night and it's too much. You know, the guys wanna split the rest of the money." So I said, "What can I learn in a hurry so I can join the band? ... Drums would be the easiest thing." So I got a bunch of the old records and started to learn to play drums. Down in the cellar, I'd learn to play drums and keep good time. This was when I was in junior high and I was learning to play drums. Later on, I got a teacher to teach me how to read, and before you knew it, I took drums seriously and I became one of the top drummers on the east side of L.A. – swing drummers. And I was playing drums with all these bands and then I'd sing.

New singing style and name

Gus Arnheim and his orchestra had been playing the Cocoanut Grove and the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles since the late 1920s and had employed such singers as Bing Crosby, Russ Columbo, and Woody Herman. Russell auditioned for Arnheim and got the job not only as a drummer but vocalist, too. However, since he was underage and could not tour out of state, Arnheim adopted him and became his legal guardian.

In addition, since he thought it was a good gimmick that made good business sense, Arnheim suggested that Russell sing bilingually in English and Spanish. Russell was hesitant, stating "No, Gus, my Spanish is very bad; I'm embarrassed." Arnheim finally convinced the youngster by saying "Do something different and people will notice." Russell agreed.

Now on tour with the band, Russell noticed that when he played solo on the drums or sang bilingually, the couples in the audience would stop dancing and approach the bandstand to get a better look at the vocalist who was singing in a different language. It was at a show at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, that Arnheim saw that he was getting known. But Arnheim realized that it would be necessary for Russell to change his name.

Russell recalled the conversation with Arnheim after the show:

"Andy, I've got to tell you something. The name Rábago has got to go. [laughs] Rábago's gotta go." I says, "What do you mean?" He says, "I've gotta change your name. Rábago hasn't got that ring to it, you know?" I says, "But that's my name." He says, "Look, we'll keep Andy, all right?" I says, "Okay. So what would you call me then?" He says, "I used to have a singer, a famous singer, a fella that took Bing Crosby's place years ago. His name was Russell Columbo, one of the famous singers of that era. I'm gonna call you Russell – Andy Russell."

Russell compromised on the name change because during that era many performers adopted stage names in order to enter the entertainment industry. He did not want to be discriminated against and stereotyped as only a Latin singer. Besides, he felt the public would know his ethnic background by his singing in Spanish and by telling everybody he was Mexican.

Career begins

Records

While he was singing with the Alvino Rey Orchestra, Russell's bilingual vocals had caught the attention of lyricist and composer Johnny Mercer, who asked him to cut a record for his fledgling Capitol Records.

However, the 1942–44 musicians' strike threatened to derail Russell's career before it had even begun. Union President James Petrillo had set the date of July 31 where no union musician could record for any record company. This caused record producers to scramble to get vocalists and musicians into recording studios to get the recordings done before the deadline. Russell was able to make a test record with the George Siravo orchestra under the deadline. Mercer paid him $150-$175 for both sides of his first record.

Russell narrowed his choices down to three songs and then chose the bolero "Bésame Mucho" (English title: "Kiss Me Much"), with original music and Spanish lyric by Mexican composer Consuelo Velázquez, English lyric by American composer Sunny Skylar, and backing by the Al Sack Orchestra. He sang "Bésame Mucho" bilingually, the first vocalist to offer Spanish and English treatments to popular songs, often with a chorus in English followed by a chorus in Spanish, and, in doing so, displaying his Latin background.

"Bésame Mucho" became Russell's first charted hit. It entered the charts on April 15, 1944, and peaked at #10 on the Billboard Chart in the United States, staying on the charts for 5 weeks. It sold over one million copies. Composer Velázquez heaped huge praise on Russell by stating that the worldwide success of "Bésame Mucho", which would become the most recorded Mexican song in history, effectively began with his rendition and recording of the song.

That same year he also had another huge hit, which became another signature tune: "Amor", music by Mexican composer Gabriel Ruiz, Spanish lyric by Mexican lyricist Ricardo López Méndez, English lyric by Sunny Skylar, and backed by the Al Sack Orchestra. It entered the charts on June 1, 1944, peaked at #5, and stayed on the charts for 10 weeks. The song was featured in the motion picture Broadway Rhythm.

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Russell had two more hits that same year: "What a Diff'rence a Day Made", original title "Cuando vuelva a tu lado" (When I Return to You), music and Spanish lyric by Mexican composer María Grever with English lyric by American lyricist Stanley Adams and backed by the Paul Weston Orchestra. It entered the charts on October 21, 1944, peaked at #14, and stayed on the charts for 8 weeks.

Golden Age of radio

By 1944, he had become a well enough regarded pop vocalist to be invited to perform on radio programs.

On November 9, he debuted on his own radio show on the "Blue" network, or NBC, called The Andy Russell Show, which broadcast out of Hollywood, California. He was the host and featured vocalist. In addition, he would invite guests to appear on his program, such as Dinah Shore and Johnny Mercer.

On Sunday nights over CBS radio, Russell was also a featured vocalist on the Old Gold Show, which was the name of the cigarette company that sponsored the program.

Next up was an invitation to appear as a vocalist on The Jackie Gleason – Les Tremayne Show on NBC radio. Unlike his eponymous show which was broadcast from Los Angeles, California, it was necessary for Russell to take the train out to the East Coast, as this show originated from New York. It was reported that during the trip, he got sick because he had never been on a train before.

Also, in addition to duties as a vocalist, Russell played straight man to Jackie Gleason, the legendary comic and performer who would later be the star of the classic television program The Honeymooners. He would do this later in a motion picture with Groucho Marx, too.

With regard to his participation on the show, the Billboard 1944 Music Year Book stated that "the talented, handsome ... young singer's commercial appeal [was] tremendous. Starting with one song, audience response demanded his current three singing spots."

Later, from September 3, 1945, to May 27, 1946, Russell appeared on the CBS radio comedy show, The Joan Davis Show, which originated out of New York City. This program aired on Monday nights from 8:30 – 8:55 p.m. "Popular crooner Andy Russell served as both the variety anchor for The Joan Davis Show as well as Joanie's love interest in the situation comedy series ... [He] delivered as expected to the swoons and cheers of his millions of female fans of the era." In addition to singing, Russell also acted and played straight man to comedian Joan Davis. Paul Weston and his Orchestra provided the music.

Personal appearances

As he became more popular, Russell began making personal appearances in different venues in the country. His first personal appearance was on June 28, 1945, at the RKO Boston Theater in Newark, New Jersey, (Frank Sinatra's home town). Later, he made an appearance at the Paramount theater in New York, where he signed on to perform for two weeks, and wound up staying for five weeks. A review of Russell's performance stated: "His way of sliding into a husky chorus in Spanish – after going through the English version – has all the slick chicks swooning like crazy." Russell hoped to perform in Mexico, although he had never been there, despite being of Mexican heritage.

Hollywood

Russell was then invited to Hollywood by Buddy DeSylva, co-founder of Capitol Records, to screen-test for motion pictures. He was contracted to appear in the film The Stork Club (1945). His movie career had an inauspicious start at Paramount Studios. The Mexican-American crooner was told by a security guard that it was a closed set and that he would have to leave. He waited outside the stage door, sitting in the sun until Hal Walker, the director, came looking for him and told him to get to work. Russell asked nervously, "Are you sure it's all right now?" In his motion picture debut, he played himself in everything but name, as he [was] cast as a dance band singer and swing drummer. He sang "If I had a Dozen Hearts" in a duet with Betty Hutton and a solo on "Love Me". He also displayed his percussionist skills on a drum solo of "China Boy".

In 1946, he appeared in the film Breakfast In Hollywood, where he sang "If I Had a Wishing Ring" in English and bilingual renditions of "Magic Is the Moonlight" / "Te quiero dijiste (Muñequita linda)" and "Amor".

In the same year, he sang "Without You" (based on Cuban composer Osvaldo Farrés' song "Tres Palabras") on the soundtrack of the Walt Disney animated feature Make Mine Music, the pop music version of Fantasia. The "A Ballad in Blue" section illustrated the end of a relationship using raindrops, flower petals, and a love letter.

In 1947, at the peak of his popularity, he appeared in the film Copacabana with Groucho Marx and Carmen Miranda. In this film, Russell good-naturedly plays his dumb-bell nightclub singer role with a mild manner, wide-eyes, and a toothy smile. About his performance, co-star, Gloria Jean said, "[He] was very bland, wishy-washy, but he had a lovely voice."

On March 13, 1947, he was a performer in the 19th Academy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, as he sang "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" from the musical film Blue Skies, one of the songs nominated for the Oscar that year.

Television

Later, Russell began to appear in the new medium of television in the early 1950s on Your Show of Shows with Sid Caesar on NBC but continued to record, though less frequently. From December 1950 to June 1951, he appeared with his wife on the ABC-TV show Andy and Della Russell. "It was a brief but pleasant musical interlude, which originated live from New York [from 7:00 to 7:05] every weeknight." They also had an act that they would perform together in nightclubs. A review described their act as: "delightfully light, cleverly done and wholly entertaining." In addition to singing and dancing, Russell performed impressions of celebrities. Lastly, they appeared together in the musical short, House Party (1953).

End of big band era

By 1952, Russell's hits had stopped coming, as the big band era had come to a close. Capitol Records lost interest in him as a hit-making pop star and began to look on with negative feeling.

At this point, Russell began to look elsewhere for a place to perform. On 16 October 1953, he made his debut in Mexico City at the Teatro Lírico alongside such legendary performers as Agustín Lara, Tin Tan, Toña la Negra, and others. He was billed as "the Mexican star of Hollywood and the greatest exponent of romantic Mexican song in the United States".

Then, in November 1953, after returning from his trip to Mexico City, he announced to his wife Della that he no longer loved her, wanted a divorce, and that he would move to Mexico City. The couple was separated for a month, at which point Della initiated divorce proceedings. Russell did not contest.

After that, his private life became fodder for the gossip columns as he experienced a public backlash and negative publicity due to the news of the couple's pending divorce. Many were angry and upset at this turn of events, as the Russells had been viewed as the "perfect Hollywood couple". They received hate-mail from irate fans, and Russell was pressured by the Hollywood community and Roman Catholic Church clergy not to proceed with the divorce because it would cause "a public scandal."

Mexico, Latin America, Spain and Cuba

Mexico

After the divorce was finalized in February 1954, Russell was left virtually penniless, despondent, and out-of-work. His friend Charlie Skipsey, wealthy liquor distributor and later co-owner of the popular Mexican restaurant chains, Carlos'n Charlie's and Señor Frog's, advised Russell to go to Mexico.

In order to avoid the pressure of his situation in the United States, Russell reluctantly agreed to move to Mexico on a temporary basis, but he was hesitant because he could not speak more than a few words of Spanish, and he thought the people would not like him. However, when he arrived in Mexico, he was astounded to find thousands of people greeting him at the airport.

Skipsey put him up in the swanky and historic Hotel Regis (in Spanish) in Mexico City, where he found a confidante in actress Ariadne Welter, Skipsey's ex-wife and younger sister of actress Linda Christian.

In due time, Russell met Carcho Peralta, the owner of the hotel, and he talked to him about his unfortunate situation. In response, Peralta offered him the opportunity to sing at the hotel's nightclub, the Capri Room, backed by the orchestra of legendary composer, Agustín Lara. Russell accepted. His show had a great response from the audience, and he began touring other night club venues in Mexico with similar success.

His fortunes took a turn for the better when his friend Carlos Lopez Rangel, a newspaper editor and host of several radio programs, decided to interview him and tell his story to the public over the course of several programs, like a soap opera. The radio show had a tremendous impact and achieved such high ratings that it produced an outpouring of good will and sympathy for Russell from the Mexican public. "The people opened their hearts for me," he said, "They treat[ed] me like a brother."

Russell realized at this point that he was popular in Mexico, so he made Mexico City his home base, while he performed for his fans. The idea of being a Mexican singer was intriguing to him.

In short order, he was offered a recording contract with RCA Victor Records of Mexico. His subsequent recording of "Contigo en la distancia" ("I'm With You Though You're Gone") by Cuban composer César Portillo de la Luz and backed by Mario Ruiz Armengol and his Orchestra was an unparalleled success and was number one on the music charts for eight months. His interpretation propelled this song to international fame and was so novel and overpoweringly romantic that it was viewed as influencing the birth rate in Mexico. His version of this classic Cuban composition is considered one of the best.

Argentina

From 1956 to 1965, Russell traveled back-and-forth from Mexico City to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he had a television variety show called El Show de Andy Russell on channel 7. The show was produced and broadcast during the summer months over the course of 13 weeks.

In 1958, the name of the show was changed to El Show de IKA (sometimes billed as Desfile de Éxitos IKA) when Argentina's largest automaker, Industrias Kaiser Argentina (IKA) became the sponsor in a bid to sell more automobiles. Soft-drink manufacturer Pepsi Cola would also become a sponsor. At a cost of more than 3,000,000 pesos, it was the most expensive television show produced in that country, and the first to use cameras mounted high above the stage to capture exceptional visual effects.

The unprecedented scale of the show became apparent as a Jeep was driven onto the stage during every performance, along with the ballet troupe of Eber and Nélida Lobato, a 50-piece orchestra conducted by Angel "Pocho" Gatti, and the Fanny Day choir, all in support of Russell.

In compensation for his hosting and singing duties, Russell, for his part, received an unspecified, but princely sum. Russell was described as being "a professional who was conscientious and diligent, and very American ... The show was a smash hit. We would rehearse every day. He was tireless."

Other Latin American countries

He toured through "every country in Latin America," and his acceptance and popularity was such that "Andy Russell" became a household name in Latin America. He felt so welcomed that he stated: "When I am in Argentina, I am Argentine. When I am in Nicaragua, I am Nicaraguan."

Russell appeared on Latin American television in Caracas, Venezuela on the show Renny Presenta with Renny Ottolina (1964), where they sang "Manhattan" in English and exchanged pleasantries in Spanish before a live television audience.

Spain

In 1962, Russell was signed to a recording contract by Belter Records of Spain. The deal was that he would record the songs in Orfeon of Mexico, and the discs would be manufactured and released in Spain. He recorded several albums, which were primarily ballads and up-tempo jazz numbers backed up by a full orchestra band conducted by Chico O'Farrell. He also recorded the two title songs for the soundtracks of popular Spanish movies of the time: Bahía de Palma (1962) and Sol de Verano (1963). The former featured sex symbol Elke Sommer wearing a bikini, the first time a woman was shown wearing a bikini in a Spanish movie. Lastly, in 1966, he sang "Soñarás" ("You Shall Dream") on the soundtrack of the Spanish animated movie El mago de los sueños (The Dream Wizard).

Russell performed frequently in Spain, and even sang for Spanish dictator Francisco Franco several times, who honored him with awards.

Cuba

Russell worked Cuba every six months, making personal appearances at the Dune Television and the Havana Hilton, occasionally alongside Tony Curbelo. He was present when Fidel Castro overthrew the government of Fulgencio Batista. Since he believed Castro was about to bring freedom to the Cubans, he celebrated with everyone in the streets. But he looked back with regret, as he said: "A country that had the greatest music in the history of Latin music from Cuba, you know? Now they're just closed in completely."

Return to the United States

After being based in Mexico City for the past 11 years and performing in Latin America, Russell "felt that he was losing his professional identity and also being subtly pressured into becoming a citizen of Mexico." Moreover, he believed that "you haven't got the freedom in Mexico that you've got here [in the US]. You wouldn't dare say anything against the government of Mexico, or you're found in an alley the next day, or you're thrown out of the country. You haven't got that freedom. In this country you can do everything you want; in fact, a little too much [laughs], you know?"

He returned to the United States in 1966 and to Capitol Records. His comeback album in the United States was "More Amor!" (1967), a collection of English and bilingual English/Spanish songs, most notably the singles "Longin'" and "Enamorado" ("In Love"). Capitol dubbed a version of "Longin'" in Spanish for release to its Latin American affiliates, while it produced a promotional music video for "Enamorado." No song from this album entered the Billboard charts. His comeback show took place at the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, to rave reviews.

Later in the same year of 1967, Capitol released his follow-up album called "... Such a Pretty World Today", and it produced a #1 single called "It's Such a Pretty World Today" that stayed on top of Billboard's Easy Listening Chart for nine weeks. His next single from the same album "I'm Still Not Through Missing You" also cracked the Top Ten. He also made some LP's for the Argentine market that were well received.

That year, he married his fourth wife, Ginny Pace, a talk show hostess and former Mrs. Houston.

On the CAP Latino label, Russell joined Eddie Cano, another Mexican-American native of East Los Angeles, and Trío Los Copacabana (made up of Oscar F. Meza, Mike Gutierrez, and Rick Chimelis) for the all-Spanish "Quiereme Mucho", an album of trio music. Cano was the arranger and conductor. They sang such Mexican standards as "La Mentira", "Nosotros" and "Sabor a Mi".

In the decade of the 1970s, he worked consistently, making appearances at home and abroad. From 1970 to 1971, he had personal appearances in Scottsdale, Arizona; Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mexico; and Venezuela.

Personal life

Charities

Although Russell was 4-F (unfit for military service) due to a broken arm that did not heal properly, he helped to raise funds for the war by singing at fund raisers.

Russell came up with the idea for the different vocalists and big band musicians to form teams and play annual softball games for the Youth Welfare Fund, a charity. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce organized the games for such teams as the "Andy Russell Sprouts" and the "Frank Sinatra Swooners" to play at Gilmore Stadium (which was demolished in 1952, when the land was used to build CBS Television City in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California). Other stars who participated were crooners Dick Haymes, Nat King Cole, and Mel Tormé; bandleader Harry James; dancer and actor Gene Kelly; and comedians Bob Hope and Mickey Rooney. Actress Jane Russell and Lois Andrews also participated as "Russell Sprouts" bat girls, while Virginia Mayo was a "Frank Sinatra Swooners" bat girl.

Friendships

Russell sang in a quartet with Bing Crosby, Dick Haymes, and Jack Benny on the last's radio show.

Della and he were close, long-time friends of tenor Mario Lanza and his family. The couples vacationed together at a ranch near Lake Mead, Nevada. In 1950, Russell and his wife Della were asked to be godparents to Lanza's second daughter, Ellisa. Lanza subsequently developed an infatuation with Della, which inspired him to record his own romantic – and according to him, better – version of "Bésame Mucho" for her. By 1953, after supporting Lanza through his personal troubles, Russell became frustrated and their friendship declined.

Romances

Russell was romantically linked with different women in his life, such as actress Ariadna Skipsey (née Welter) (1954), the Countess Joaquina de Navas of Madrid (1964), Houston oil heiress Susan Smithford (1966), and Spanish dancer Maria Rosa Marcos (1967).

Marriages

Russell was married five times:

His first wife was Evelyn Marie Morse (1919–1993). Date of marriage was June 30, 1940, in Los Angeles, CA. Their divorce was finalized in 1945.

His second wife was Della Norrell (née Adelina Naccarelli) (1921–2006), a New York nightclub singer. They wed at the Little Church of the West, Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 23, 1945. "During the ceremony, Della was crying when the minister asked, 'Do you?' So, Russell just upped and said, 'Yes, she do.'" They would later marry in a Catholic church ceremony because Della felt that they were not really married. Afterwards, she became his singing partner, and they sang together on records, nightclubs, the ABC-TV show Andy and Della Russell (1950–1951), and the musical short House Party (1953). They were considered the ideal, Hollywood couple, and their fans and the public at large were shocked when they divorced on February 3, 1954.

His third wife was Velia Sánchez Belmont (1929–2002), the daughter of Eduardo Sánchez Torres, former Mexican ambassador to the Netherlands. They wed in Mexico City on July 10, 1954, and had a son, Andy Russell, Jr., the following year. They divorced in 1961.

His fourth wife was Virginia "Ginny" Pace Russell (1931-2019), a talk-show hostess and former Mrs. Houston. According to a 1962 newspaper article, Pace was married with five children. In 1967, she divorced her husband and married Russell that same year. Russell considered himself a "real family man" and was dedicated to his six children and grandchildren. The couple divorced in 1987.

His fifth wife, to whom he was married to the time of his death in 1992, was Doris E. Russell.

Later years and death

In 1989, he retired to live in Sun City, Arizona, with his fifth wife, Dora.

In February 1992, he suffered a paralyzing stroke followed by another stroke on April 12, 1992. He died from complications at St. Joseph's Hospital in Sun City, Phoenix, Arizona, on April 16, 1992, at the age of 72. A public memorial service was held at St. Juliana's Catholic Church in Fullerton, California, on April 22, 1992. He was interred in Loma Vista Memorial Park in Fullerton, California. On his gravestone, there is inscribed the title of one of his hits, "Amor".

About love, Russell said: "I fall in love wherever I go. I think being in love [is] the most exciting thing there is."

His thoughts on enthusiasm were: "Enthusiasm is the greatest word in the world. It's seeing a scenic sunset and stopping to watch it. It's telling my wife she's beautiful. It's taking my sons to dinner and coming back to watch the football or baseball game on television. We're so blasé I can't stand it (he said of people in general). If I lose my enthusiasm, I'm dead. In fact, if I die before my wife, I've asked her to put a smile on my face before they bury me."

Awards and legacy

Awards

The Pioneer of Argentine Television

The Showman of the Americas (Argentina)

Citation by Pope Paul VI

Barcelonés Honorario (Spain)

Mayorquín Honorario (Spain)

Golden Microphone (1966) – An award by Capitol Records for record sales.

El Águila de América (The Eagle of the Americas) (1972 or 1974) – an honor awarded him by Mexican journalists, members of the Mexico Newspaper Writers Guild (APERM).

One of the Most Popular Singers in the World (1975) – Proclamation approved by the Los Angeles City Council and signed by Arthur K. Snyder, Councilman of the 14th District (which includes Boyle Heights, where Russell was born).

Award of Appreciation (1978) – for being the American who has done the most for Mexican music.

Nosotros Golden Eagle Award (1979)

Legacy

Russell started a new way of singing that combined English and Spanish, plus Latin and American rhythms, that established him as being the original crossover artist. With his romantic, baritone voice; professional, polished demeanor; and energetic showmanship, he introduced American audiences to Latin-American musical compositions with Spanish lyrics, while influencing later Latino and non-Latino recording artists to be open to the idea of singing bilingually, due to his previous success with the concept. To further illustrate this point, Russell's repertoire also included songs in French "Je Vous Aime" and in German "Danke Schoen". From his peers in the music industry, he gained not only their professional respect, but their love and admiration, as well. Ultimately, he embodied North American, South American, and European musical styles and invited people from around the world to enjoy his unique and entertaining musical stylings. And it must be noted that Russell "with his interest in contemporary American music combined with his strong Mexican culture ... always considered himself a mixture of both Mexican and American heritages."

Singing ambassador

The best way to sum up Andy Russell's life is to come around full circle and look at how he envisioned his life at the dawn of his career ... as a "Singing Ambassador". These lines are from the inside sleeve of the record jacket of Favoritos, Russell's first album for Capitol Records back in 1943:

"Singing Ambassador ... Andy Russell is more than a singer ... blessed with a voice, a personality, and a sense of showmanship, which, combined, attract the envy of less-gifted performers. He has spectacularly catapulted into the foremost ranks of entertainers since 1943 and accomplished Herculean results in furthering the friendship of the North American peoples with those of Central and South America to the south.

"Andy is a handsome, young American, born and reared in Los Angeles, with a deep insight into the music of Latin America and with a flair for singing songs in both English and Spanish that has won him the plaudits of millions.

"Andy's selections for this collection of 'favoritos' include Just Friends, Let's Fall in Love, I'll See You in My Dreams, Imagination, María Elena, La Borrachita, Cielito Lindo, and the plaintive Adios, Muchachos. All eight selections are beloved the world over. 'They're my favorites, too,' Russell confesses.

"Capitol is privileged to present Andy Russell and this smart package of unforgettable music. His songs serve to establish him as a friendly ambassador without portfolio. Good neighbors of the south ... Good neighbors of the north ... are brought together by his virile, baritone voice. Saludos, amigos!"

In popular culture

Russell is mentioned in the Chicano seminal work The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo (1972) by Oscar Zeta Acosta on p. 73:

"And unless we bathed and washed the dishes, we couldn't turn on the little brown radio to listen to The Whistler, The Shadow, or The Saturday Night Hit Parade with Andy Russell, the only Mexican I ever heard on the radio as a kid. We would sit and listen while we shined our shoes. During the commercials, my mother would sing beautiful Mexican songs, which I then thought were corny, while she dried the dishes. 'When you grow up, you'll like this music, too,' my ma always prophesied. In the summer of '67, as a buffalo on the run, I still thought Mexican music was corny."

In his short story Zona Rosa, 1965 (2004), Vicente Leñero envisions this fashionable neighborhood in Mexico City as a female energy "who is well versed in literature; she's chatted with Carlos Fuentes at Café Tirol; she's become a bullfighting buff after seeing Paco Camino leaving Hotel Presidente. She lives at Génova 20 to be neighbors with Emily Cranz and Andy Russell, or at the Londres Residential to be on first-name terms with Gloria Lasso.

A couple of his songs have been part of the soundtracks of motion pictures: "Soy un Extraño" ("I am a Stranger") in the 1990 Spanish movie Boom-Boom and "Amor" in the American movie Lolita (1997) directed by Adrian Lyne.

Controversy about racial and ethnic identity

What's in a name?

In his book Rock the Nation: Latin/o Identities and the Latin Rock Diaspora (2010), Professor Roberto Avant-Mier points out on pp. 58–59 that Russell did not embrace his Mexican heritage and Spanish language as a youngster. He also indicates that at the urging of bandleader Gus Arnheim, Russell accepted to change his original name of "Andrés Rábago" to the anglicized "Andy Russell". He seems to imply, then, that Russell simply gave up his name and cultural identity in exchange for musical and economic opportunities otherwise reserved for Anglo-American musicians. Furthermore, Avant-Mier contends, Russell acquiesced because, from an early age, he seemed to be more comfortable with his American rather than Mexican culture.

However, Avant-Mier does not take into consideration (as explained earlier) the context of the place and period that Russell had been born and reared in the United States during the first half of the 20th century and its influence on one's self-identity. The country experienced two World Wars, a Great Depression, and a wave of nationalism and patriotism that fostered a common and united national identity, rather than ethnic pride. Yet, although Russell spoke and understood more English than Spanish, and was exposed more to American than Mexican culture during the initial stage of his career, however, in no way did this signify a rejection of his Mexican culture. It was solely a temporary accommodation, as Russell stated: "Part of the reason I changed my name – as did many Jewish entertainers – was that I did not want to be stereotyped [as just a Latin singer]. But now I'm hard to sell in my own country – except to those who already know me."

Yet Avant-Mier rejects Russell's nuanced argument by concluding that "Russell eventually attributed his phenomenal success to the fact that his light skin and European features allowed him to pass as Anglo- or European-American." (Avant-Mier, 59) To support his conclusion, Avant-Mier simply references all nine pages (142–150) of Loza's Barrio Rhythm: Mexican-American Music in Los Angeles without specifying exactly where Russell admits to "selling out", which Avant-Mier seems to imply.

Avant-Mier overlooks Russell's talent, drive, and work ethic as essential components to his success. Plus, no credit is given to Russell for having the flexibility to manage his identity in order to capitalize on the few opportunities available for a Mexican-American in a racist society, while being faithful to aspects of both his Mexican and American identities. While some may call this "selling out", others might view it as "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade",

What's in a name? II

Russell had been emphatic about his Mexican ethnicity, over the course of his career from 1942 to 1989, which spanned almost 50 years. Notwithstanding, his racial ethnicity was described using different terms in newspapers, magazines, and on albums.

On the inside flap of his debut album "Favoritos" (1943), Capitol described him as: "a handsome young American, born and reared in Los Angeles ..."

In a 1944 newspaper article, he was called: a "talented, 23-year-old Mexican".

In another newspaper article from 1944, he was described as: "... a fellow of Spanish extraction ..."

In a 1945 article, he was described as a 'Los Angeles-born Mexican lad'.

In a 1946 article, he was called: "an American Spaniard".

On the back cover of his album "The Magic of Andy Russell" (1958), RCA described his singing style, "... which stems from his Mexican-American upbringing ..."

Among many names, he has also been labeled as: "Hispano", "Latin", "Spanish-Mexican", "of Mexican parentage", "Mexican of Spanish descent", "a Californian of Mexican descent", "Mexican-Spanish", "mexicano-norteamericano", "norteamericano" and "Chicano".

The prodigal son returns ... ?

After releasing the Capitol singles "Longin'" and "Enamorado" in 1966 (neither charted), Russell's comeback album in the United States was "More Amor!" (Capitol Records, 1967). On the back cover, there is a certain awkwardness and palpable confusion in the explanation about why Russell had left the United States for Mexico, and why he had returned.

Russell apparently divorced his third wife, Velia Sánchez Belmont, sometime in the early 1960s (a September 7, 1963, newspaper article states that his new romance was the Countess Joaquina de Navas of Madrid). His television show in Argentina ended in 1964. His waning popularity was also evidenced by the popularity of a new wave of younger singers in Mexico, such as César Costa, Enrique Guzmán, and Alberto Vásquez, who in many ways, were his musical heirs. They took up the mantle that he had initially carried into Mexico, and these young singers performed Spanish covers of American and British Invasion hit songs of the 1960s to an enthusiastic, young female fan base, as Russell had once done as a crooner in the 1940s. Furthermore, and most tellingly, these younger singers were Mexican nationals, unlike Russell who was an American of Mexican ancestry.

Russell probably saw the writing on the wall. He had now become passé. All these reasons most likely played a factor in Russell looking toward the United States for a fresh start.

In any case, this time around, the visions of grandeur turned out to be a mirage, as none of the songs on "More Amor!" charted on Billboard. The album followed the same Russell formula: a nice balance of songs, some in English and some in his "bilingual style", which had proven so successful in the decade of the 1940s and in Latin America.

Needless to say, regardless of what was written on the back cover and his situation in Mexico, Russell did not have the same success in 1967 in the United States as he had had in 1944 for a plethora of reasons, many dealing with issues other than identity – he was older, musical tastes had changed, he had been effectively gone for 11 years, the milieu was certainly different, as the country was caught up in the social and political turmoil of the 1960s, etc. Yet, the notes on the back cover are a fascinating testament to where Russell believed he was in terms of his public persona in 1967, after having been out of the country for 11 years.

Charted hits

The following tables list records by Russell that were sold and charted in the United States. He also made recordings in Mexico, however these "received little exposure in the U.S. but were hits all over Latin America and in Spain." One would have to consult each country's record charts to see how Russell's records rated in each individual country for a complete overview.

Discography

Album Titles:

Favoritos (LP, Capitol, 1943)

This is the Night (LP, Capitol, 1946)

Without you / Tres palabras : from Walt Disney production "Make mine music" (LP, Capitol, 1946)

The First Noël (La primera Navidad) (LP, Capitol, 1947)

I'll Close my Eyes (LP, Capitol, 1947)

Love notes from Andy Russell (LP, Capitol, 1948)

The Magic of Andy Russell (LP, RCA Victor, 1958)

Inolvidables del Cine Americano (Orfeón, 1959)

Los Discos del Millón, Colección de Oro, The Golden Collection (LP, Mexico: Orfeon, 1960)

La Hora del Romance, The Time for Romance (Dimsa, 1961)

Canciones de Aquí y Allá (LP, RCA Victor Argentina, 1962)

More Amor! (LP, Capitol, 1967)

... Such a Pretty World Today (LP, Capitol, 1967)

Andy Russell (Barcelona Madrid : Belter, D.L. 1967)

Andy Russell (Original radio series produced by AFRTS – Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. Duration: 30:00. Performer(s): Andy Russell, host; various performers. Description: 23 sound discs)

Internacional/ International (LP, Discos Latin International, 1973)