ALMA - A Brief Biography

Born on 19th May 1932, she had a short career of about 14 years. Records, Radio Broadcasts, Variety shows, World Tours and Television, were Alma’s life.

Alma, aged just 16 yrs, successfully auditioned in 1948 for the chorus of High Button Shoes, which ran for almost a year at the London Hippodrome.  She was more than just a recording vocalist, Alma was an all round Entertainer. Her Television shows are a testament to a truly wonderful personality that had warmth and charm throughout her many Television Performances a selection of them can be seen on a new website https://archive.org/details/ValParnellsStartimeincomplete

Alma was known for her fabulous gowns, never appearing in the same dress twice.

They were the talk of the showbiz world, along with her star studded party’s

Of course Alma recorded many records throughout her career, “Dreamboat” being a number one in 1955. Ten years later 1965 a number one with “Tennessee Waltz” sadly not in England, but in Sweden. Between those recordings she had success, with many of her recordings making the top twenty. Alma was accompanied on her early recordings by the Frank Cordell Orchestra, on later recordings Alma was accompanied by the Stan Foster Orchestra. Stan was to become Alma’s Musical Director throughout her recording career, and personal appearances. Alma travelled the World, with her bubbly personality appearing in variety shows, and making television appearances, from Australia to Japa

Alma was one of the most popular personalities to emerge during the 1950s and she was reputed to be the highest paid female star in Britain during that era. She had more hits in the 1950s than any other female singer – 18 in total and in the 1960s topped the charts in Japan, Sweden  and Israel as well as having hits in India, Germany, Denmark and Norway.

Alma sadly died of ovarian cancer in October 1966 aged just 34