While listening to my “Diana Krall” Pandora station (via Sonos), a familiar classic drifted through the speakers — “The Best Is Yet to Come.” But something was off. The voice wasn’t Diana, or Ella, or even Rosemary Clooney.
When I glanced at the screen, it was Debby Boone!
Yes, that Debby Boone — the wholesome 1970s pop princess who lit up the world with “You Light Up My Life.” Debby Boone doing jazz? I had to investigate.
Turns out the album is called “Reflections of Rosemary” — a loving tribute to none other than Rosemary Clooney, who also happens to be Debby Boone’s mother-in-law. Suddenly, it all made sense: a family connection to one of the great interpreters of the American Songbook.
What’s more, this gem came out way back in 2005, and somehow it completely escaped my radar until Pandora slipped it into my rotation. Proof that streaming algorithms occasionally do have good taste.
I still remember seeing Debby in those vintage Acne-Statin commercials in the late 1970s — a moment in time that tells you how old I am. But to hear her crooning jazz standards now? A delightfully unexpected discovery from deep in the vaults.
So here’s to Debby, to Rosemary, and to Pandora for dusting off another forgotten treasure. The best really is yet to come.