April Stevens

{{about|the singer|the Dallas character|April Stevens Ewing|the Young and the Restless character|April Stevens (The Young and the Restless)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = person

| name = April Stevens

| image = April Stevens (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| landscape =

| alt = Black and white image of April Stevens wearing a kerchief around her neck, looking left of camera

| caption = Stevens in 1965

| birth_name = Caroline Vincinette LoTempio

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1929|04|29}}

| birth_place = Niagara Falls, New York, US

| origin =

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|04|17|1929|04|29}}

| death_place = Scottsdale, Arizona, US{{cite news|url=https://nytimes.com/2023/04/26/arts/music/april-stevens-dead.html|title=April Stevens Dies at 93; Her 'Deep Purple' Became a Surprise Hit|work=New York Times|date=April 26, 2023 |last1=Slotnik |first1=Daniel E. }}

| genre = Pop rock

| occupation = Singer

| instrument =

| years_active = 1951–1990

| label = {{hlist|RCA Victor|Imperial|King|Atco}}

| past_member_of = Nino Tempo & April Stevens

| website = {{URL|ninoandapril.com}}

}}

Caroline Vincinette LoTempio (April 29, 1929 – April 17, 2023), known professionally as April Stevens, was an American Grammy Award-winning singer of traditional pop, best known for her collaborations with her younger brother, Nino Tempo, as Nino Tempo & April Stevens. Stevens was an inductee in the Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame

Biography

=Early life=

Stevens was born in Niagara Falls, New York, as Caroline Vincinette LoTempio, to Samuel and Anna Lo Tempio, both descended from Italian immigrants from Sicily.

=Music career=

Stevens began her recording career in 1951, aged twenty-two.{{Cite web |title=Music world mourns loss of Falls native and Grammy winner April Stevens |url=https://news.yahoo.com/music-world-mourns-loss-falls-112000689.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Yahoo News |date=April 24, 2023 }} Her most popular solo recording was her RCA Victor rendition of "I'm in Love Again", written by Cole Porter. Accompanied by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Henri René, the song peaked at number 6 on the pop charts in 1951.{{cite book |title=Hit Records: 1950–1975 |first=David |last=Lonergan |year=2004 |page=104 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0810851290}} Her follow-up, "Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?", made it to number 10 later that year, and her next release, "And So to Sleep Again", hit #27.{{Cite web |title=Nino Tempo and April Stevens |url=http://www.ninoandapril.com/fifties.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.ninoandapril.com}}

Stevens returned to the US charts in 1959 with the song "Teach Me Tiger", which caused a minor uproar for its sexual suggestiveness and consequently did not receive airplay on many radio stations.{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=nino-tempo-april-stevens-mn0001779655 |tab=biography |pure_url=yes}} |title=Nino Tempo & April Stevens Biography |first=Richie |last=Unterberger |authorlink=Richie Unterberger |publisher=All Media Network |work=AllMusic |accessdate=April 29, 2015}} The song peaked at No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{Cite web |title=April Stevens Teach Me Tiger! Import LP |url=https://elusivedisc.com/april-stevens-teach-me-tiger-import-lp/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Elusive Disc}}

Stevens was best known for her 1963 Atco recording of "Deep Purple" (music originally composed for piano by Peter DeRose and lyrics by Mitchell Parish) with her brother Antonino LoTempio (singing under the stage name Nino Tempo).{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=625}} A standard that Larry Clinton and his orchestra and band vocalist Bea Wain had popularized in 1939 and Bing Crosby also had a hit recording with, the Stevens and Tempo version reached number 1 on the Hot 100 on November 16, 1963, and number 17 in the British charts. It featured an appearance by Glen Campbell, who played as a session musician.Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002{{Cite web |title=Nino Tempo & April Stevens {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/10868/nino-tempo-and-april-ste/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.officialcharts.com}} The song won the 1963 Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Recording. It sold over one million copies and was certified Gold.{{cite book| first= Joseph| last= Murrells| year= 1978| title= The Book of Golden Discs| edition= 2nd| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd| location= London| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/167 167]| isbn= 0-214-20512-6| url-access= registration| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/167}} Nino and April never attained another number 1, as their style of jazz-influenced pop gave way to the British invasion, especially the Beatles.

The duo enjoyed a 1964 follow-up hit in the US with the standard "Whispering" (music by Vincent Rose and lyrics by Richard Coburn and John Schonberger). The recording, which had an arrangement similar to their version of "Deep Purple", reached number 11 on the Hot 100 singles chart. They also had chart success with "All Strung Out", which reached number 26 on the American Hot 100 in 1966. Later that year, the single "The Coldest Night of the Year" was released on in the UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/584048 |title=April Stevens and Nino Tempo – Coldest Night of the Year / Ooh La La – Atlantic – UK – 584048 |publisher=45cat |date=May 10, 2012 |accessdate=November 10, 2012}} In December 1967, Stevens issued a double-sided single of "Wanting You" with "Falling in Love Again". "Wanting You" became a Northern soul classic.{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=wanting+you+april&sm=se |title=Wanting You April|publisher=45cat.com |accessdate=November 10, 2012}}

In the Netherlands, the duo enjoyed a No. 5 hit in early 1973 with their version of "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story".{{cite web |url=http://www.top40.nl/index.aspx?week=7&jaar=1973 |title=Nederlandse Top 40 – week 7, 1973 |accessdate=August 7, 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://www.top40.nl/index.aspx?week=8&jaar=1973 |title=Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 1973 |accessdate=August 7, 2009}}

=Autobiography=

In her 2013 autobiography, Teach Me Tiger, Stevens said she was born in 1929. She admitted to taking years off her age, and her brother, Nino, going along with it. This was supposedly due to their competition with younger performers who already dominated the record charts in the 1960s.{{cite web|title=April Stevens, 'Teach Me Tiger' & 'Deep Purple' Siren, Then and Now |url=https://groovyhistory.com/april-stevens-deep-purple-teach-me-tiger |website=groovyhistory.com |date=May 10, 2021 |access-date=April 30, 2022}}

=Death=

Stevens died in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 17, 2023, at the age of 93.[https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/niagara-falls-native-april-stevens-dies-musin-entertainment/71-f3ae9464-2bdb-43df-93a7-3dc8404bc1cc Niagara Falls native April Stevens dies]. WGRZ. Retrieved April 19, 2023.{{cite news |last1=Crowther |first1=Linnea |title=April Stevens (1929–2023), Deep Purple singer with Nino Tempo |url=https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/april-stevens-1929-2023-deep-purple-singer-with-nino-tempo/ |access-date=20 April 2023 |publisher=Legacy |date=19 April 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Scheer |first1=Mark |title=Music world mourns loss of Falls native and Grammy winner April Stevens |url=https://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/local_news/music-world-mourns-loss-of-falls-native-and-grammy-winner-april-stevens/article_5b8c1780-dea3-11ed-9392-df2789e3ff0d.html |access-date=25 April 2023 |publisher=Niagara Gazette |date=22 April 2023}}

Grammy Award

1963 — Nino Tempo & April Stevens' rendition of "Deep Purple" received a Grammy Award for Best Rock & Roll Recording.{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?year=1963 |title=6th Annual Grammy Awards |year=1963 |publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |accessdate=April 29, 2015}}

Discography

=Albums=

Teach Me Tiger (1960)
Alone (1985)
A Very Special Time (1989)
Carousel Dreams (1990)

=Singles=

class="wikitable"

|+ Singles and chart positions{{Cite web |title=Nino Tempo and April Stevens |url=http://www.ninoandapril.com/NinoAprilDisco2.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.ninoandapril.com}}

!rowspan="1"|Year

!rowspan="1"|Titles (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated

!rowspan="1" width="40"|US

!rowspan="1"|Album

rowspan="4"|1951

|align="left"|"The Sweetest Day"{{cite web|last1=April Stevens |title=The Sweetest Day |date=1951 |url=http://archive.org/details/78_the-sweetest-day_april-stevens-the-day-dreamers-the-lennon-bros-russ-garcia-l_gbia0027697b |access-date=2023-04-24 |publisher=Society |last2=The Day Dreamers |last3=The Lennon Bros. |last4=Russ Garcia |last5=L. Wolfe Gilbert |last6=Don R. George}}
b/w "Don't Do It"

|align="center"|

|align="left"|Non-album tracks

align="left"|"Dreamy Melody"
b/w "Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya Huh?"

|align="center"|

|align="left"|A Nino Tempo-April Stevens Program

align="left"|"And So to Sleep Again"{{Cite web |title=LyricsVault: Flooding Server Error |url=https://www.lyricsvault.net/php/artist.php?s=46124 |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.lyricsvault.net}}
b/w "Aw, C'mon"

|align="center"|

|align="left"|Non-album tracks

align="left"|"Put Me in Your Pocket"{{cite web|title=Put Me in Your Pocket |url=http://archive.org/details/78_put-me-in-your-pocket_april-stevens-henri-ren-and-his-orchestra-cochran_gbia7014366b |access-date=2023-04-24 |publisher=His Master's Voice |last3=Cochran}}
b/w "The Tricks of the Trade"

|align="center"|

|align="left"|A Nino Tempo-April Stevens Program

1952

|align="left"|"That Naughty Waltz"{{Cite web |title=I Like to Talk to Myself/That Naughty Waltz (with vintage RCA company sleeve) |url=https://www.vinyl45s.com/Stevens-April--I-Like-To-Talk-To-MyselfThat-Naughty-Waltz-with-vintage-RCA-company-sleeve--VG7--45-rpm-Records_p_232085.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.vinyl45s.com}}
b/w "I Like to Talk to Myself"

|align="center"|

|align="left" rowspan="2"|Non-album tracks

1953

|align="left"|"Treat Me Nice"{{Cite web |title=Treat Me Nice; Hot Tamale |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1397246 |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=National Museum of American History}}
b/w "Hot Tamale"

|align="center"|

1959

|align="left"|"Teach Me Tiger"
b/w "That Warm Afternoon" (Non-album track)

|align="center"|86

|align="left" rowspan="2"|Teach Me Tiger

1960

|align="left"|"In Other Words"{{Cite web |title=April Stevens: (EP) Teach me tiger / In other words / I want a lip / Do it again – View all Vinyl Records |url=https://www.goldenoldies.se/index.php/vinyl-records/april-stevens-ep-teach-me-tiger-in-other-words-i-want-a-lip-do-it-again.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.goldenoldies.se}}
b/w "Jonny" (Non-album track)

|align="center"|

1961

|align="left"|"Love Kitten"{{Cite web |title=Love kitten de April Stevens, 45T x 1 chez cdandlp |url=https://www.cdandlp.com/april-stevens/love-kitten/45t/r2406006603/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.cdandlp.com |language=fr}}
b/w "You and Only You"

|align="center"|

|align="left"|Non-album tracks

1962

|align="left"|"That's My Name"
b/w "Fly Me to the Moon" (Non-album track)

|align="center"|

|align="left"|Teach Me Tiger

1963

|align="left"|"Deep Purple"
b/w "I've Been Carrying a Torch for You So Long (That I Burned a Great Big Hole in My Heart)"

|align="center"|1

|align="left"|Deep Purple

1964

|align="left"|"Whispering"
b/w "Tweedlee Dee"