"That kid is a real hot singer!"  Cincinnati bandleader Barney Rapp was quick to recognize young Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff.  The leader of the New Englanders urged the young vocalist to change her name, taking his cue from the song with which she left him smitten: "Day After Day."  She became Doris Day, and the rest is history.  On April 1, Real Gone Music celebrates the centennial year of the timeless artist, actress, and passionate animal rights advocate who died in 2019 at the age of 97 with two landmark releases.  Early Day: Rare Songs from the Radio 1939-1950 collects two dozen painstakingly-restored rarities, the first decade of her legendary career, on CD.  It's joined by the world vinyl premiere of Day's final studio album, 2011's remarkable My Heart, making for a decades-spanning tribute to a singular talent.

Early Day: Rare Songs from the Radio affords the opportunity to hear the youthful voice that captivated a nation.  The collection opens with a moving 1944 rendition of her first signature song, "Sentimental Journey," with The Les Brown Orchestra before journeying back to 1939 and two songs with Barney Rapp's big band performed by 17-year-old Doris on their very first nationwide broadcast.  "Little Sir Echo" and "I'm Happy About the Whole Thing" show the earliest blossoming of Day's gifts as an interpretive singer.  The set continues with more mid-1940s appearances with Les Brown and His Orchestra including performances a treasure trove from The Bob Hope Show circa 1948-1950.  Hope himself duets with Doris on "Sunshine Cake" while singing cowboy Jimmy Wakely shares the microphone on "Slippin' Around."  This collection was curated with Doris' full knowledge and consent, and the 16-page booklet designed by John Sellards is chockablock with rare photos from the period.  TSD's Joe Marchese provides the liner notes tracing Day's career on the radio during this prolific time. Mike Milchner at SonicVision has remastered all tracks on this essential anthology.

Real Gone then jumps ahead decades to 2011 and the final studio album of Day's lifetime, My Heart.  It was perhaps the most unexpected hit record of the year, hitting the charts in the U.S. and making it all the way to No. 9 on the U.K. Albums Chart.  My Heart was dedicated to the memory of Day's son, producer-singer-songwriter Terry Melcher (who predeceased his mother when he passed away in 2014 at the age of 62).  "These songs all mean so much to me...They bring back happy memories of my friends who appeared on TV with me, my animal friends, and most of all, my [late] son Terry," Doris said at the time of the original release.  At the heart of the album are songs recorded by Doris and produced by Terry (The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Paul Revere and The Raiders) for her 1980s television series Doris Day's Best Friends.

Among Melcher's compositions on My Heart are the beautiful title song, "The Way I Dreamed It," and a number of songs that would have been familiar to fans of his work with the Beach Boys, their family, and friends. "Heaven Tonight" was recorded by Captain and Tennille, and the Boys themselves recorded "Happy Endings" with Little Richard for the 1988 Whoopi Goldberg vehicle The Telephone.  (Terry takes the lead vocal on the version here.)  Doris also brings authenticity to Bruce Johnston's nostalgic "Disney Girls" and heartfelt emotion to "You Are So Beautiful," frequently sung in Beach Boys concerts by Dennis Wilson.  Terry is the subject of Doris' touching prologue to "My Buddy," and also inspired her happy rendition of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream."  My Heart is rounded out by other favorites of Day's, including the On a Clear Day You Can See Forever showstopper "Hurry, It's Lovely Up Here!" and her tender reading of "My One and Only Love" with Andre Previn on piano.  All told, nine songs were previously unreleased in 2011.  This farewell set from Doris Day has been remastered by Mike Milchner at SonicVision and pressed on green vinyl.  The package also features an insert with liner notes.

Look for Doris Day's Early Day: Rare Songs from the Radio 1939-1950 on CD and My Heart on vinyl, both coming from Real Gone Music on April 1. You'll find the complete track listings and pre-order links below.

Doris Day, Early Day: Rare Songs from the Radio 1939-1950 (Real Gone Music, 2022) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Sentimental Journey
2. Little Sir Echo
3. I'm Happy About the Whole Thing
4. The Joint Is Really Jumpin' Down at Carnegie Hall
5. Salt Water Cowboy (A United States Marine)
6. Take Me in Your Arms
7. Easy Street
8. Wonderful Winter
9. Along the Navajo Trail
10. I Wish I Knew
11. Sunshine Cake (with Bob Hope)
12. Slippin' Around (with Jimmy Wakely)
13. My Darling, My Darling
14. Hair of Gold, Eyes of Blue
15. A Little Bird Told Me
16. It's Too Soon to Know
17. Buttons and Bows
18. Havin' a Wonderful Wish (Time You Were Here)
19. Dear Hearts and Gentle People
20. Happy Times
21. Never Again
22. I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine
23. Savings Bond Promotional Spot
24. Ain't Misbehavin' (Hidden Bonus Track)

Doris Day, My Heart (Arwin ARW-5060, 2011 - reissued Real Gone Music, 2022) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Side One

1. Hurry, It's Lovely Up Here
2. Daydream
3. The Way I Dreamed It
4. Heaven Tonight
5. My One & Only Love (Doris Day with Andre Previn)
6. My Heart
7. You Are So Beautiful

Side Two

1. Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries
2. Disney Girls
3. Stewball
4. My Buddy (Doris Day with Paul Weston & His Orchestra)
5. Happy Endings (Terry Melcher with Introduction by Doris Day)
6. Ohio