Music: The New Canaries

When recording stars do not exist, it is necessary for artists-and-repertory men to invent them. The newest, dewiest invention is a plump, pleasant-voiced 19-year-old named Jennie Smith. In the year and a half since she graduated from high school in Charleston. W. Va. (pop. 75,000), Jennie, who looks like the second-prettiest girl at a high-school prom, has taken on a new name (old one: Jo Ann Kristof), learned to gush cute quotes ("I'm crazy about mustard sandwiches ... I sing sad songs saddest when I'm happy") and do a very fair imitation of throaty, top-ranking Jazz Singer June Christy. To the...

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