Jazz singer Beatty turns back the clock
Song first recorded in 1945
Mike Beggs
Nov 15, 2005
Who says you can't turn back the clock?
Sixty years later she has cut the song again as the title track of her new CD, which is available at www.ruthbeatty.com.
"I loved being able to do it again," she said. "Because of the history of the song, it meant a lot to me. It was a wonderful experience to do this, and bring it into the present day."
The Parkdale native was 17 when she met her future husband at a singing class at Clarke Hall in Port Credit. They were engaged in June of 1945, before Jim headed off to war.
She headed into a College Street studio to record this romantic song which begins, "I'm making believe that you're in my arms/ Though I know you're so far away."
"When he received it on board, he found out, to his pride and embarrassment, it could only be played over the public address system," she said. "The whole ship's company of Canadian sailors, no doubt dreaming of their own sweethearts, heard my tender love song meant for him alone."
Born into a family of singers, Beatty grew up doing Sunday school concerts, high school shows and university dances. In her early 20s, she spurned professional opportunities for radio performance in favour of marriage and a family.
It was her late husband Jim who pushed her to resume recording in her 60s. And, Remembrance Day carries an added significance for her, as the anniversary of her husband's passing in 1994.
While her previous CD, These Are The Days, fell into the gospel genre, this time she has made a lively, heartfelt foray into jazz standards like That Old Black Magic and The Glory Of Love.
She is backed by a crew of world-class session players, including award-winning Mississauga singer and pianist Nancy Walker, drummer Mark Mariash, bassist Michael Carson, trumpet player Kevin Turcotte and sax player Sean O'Connor.
"Jazz embraces life in all its facets, from the saddest to the gladdest. It touches us," she said. "And singing jazz is an irresistible way of connecting with those emotions. Jazz makes us happy."
Walker feels Beatty has emerged with, "a wonderful musical memoir."
And, the CD's producer David Leask was "amazed to hear Ruth's pure and youthful voice, and impressed with how she cut most of the vocal tracks live off the floor.
Leask is Beatty's son-in-law and a fine singer and songwriter in his own right.
"I'm really enjoying this," said Beatty, who still solos periodically with the Streetsville United Church choir. "I was so delighted with the musicians, the way they supported these songs. And for me to do this at all at my age is unbelievable."