Andy Russell (born Andrés Rábago; September 16, 1919 – April 16, 1992) was an Americanpopular vocalist, specializing in traditional pop and Latin music. He sold 8 million records in the 1940s to early 1950s singing in a romantic, baritone voice in his trademark bilingualEnglish and Spanish style. He had chart-busters, such as "Bésame Mucho," "Amor," "What a Diff'rence a Day Made," "Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)," "Without You," and "The Anniversary Waltz." He also performed on many radio programs, most notably Your Hit Parade, in several movies, and on television. Later, he traveled to Mexico where he was the star of radio, television, motion pictures, records, and nightclubs. He also toured extensively throughout Latin America, Cuba, Portugal, and Spain and was the host of the televisionvariety programEl Show de Andy Russell in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 1956 to 1965, thus achieving international popularity and tremendous success during this period. Upon returning to the United States, he continued to record music, at which point his 1967 single "It's Such a Pretty World Today" was number one for 9 weeks on Billboard Magazine's Easy Listening Chart. During the 1970s and 1980s, he continued to perform, occasionally recording new records and making appearances on television. He received international accolades and awards, the most notable of which was being recognized as a trailblazer who not only introduced U.S. audiences to popular songs sung in English and Spanish but also influenced later performers--Hispanic and non-Hispanic—to sing bilingually, as well. Regrettably, today, Russell has been virtually forgotten and his enormous contributions as the first American Latino, bilingual singer who performed on three continents over a span of almost 50 years are hardly discussed by the media or scholars and much less credited by the performers who succeeded him.
As a freshman in high school, he moved from the New York area to St. Louis, attending Ladue High School. Having never played football in the East, he became a starter as a sophomore, playing end. In his junior and senior year, he played fullback and linebacker, earning all-state honors in his senior year. Heavily recruited by out-state universities, he selected Missouri and began a tradition of St. Louis area football players attending their home-state university under Coach Dan Devine.
After playing for the Steelers his rookie season in 1963 and just missing out on playing the Chicago Bears for the NFL Championship, Russell temporarily left the team for the Army to fulfill ROTC commitments from Missouri. He was stationed in Germany for two years, achieving the rank of second lieutenant, and serving as an aide to a three-star general. He then returned to the Steelers in 1966, where he would spend the next 11 seasons.
Andrew G. A. "Andy" Russell, CM (1915 – June 1, 2005) was a well-known Canadian wilderness guide, outfitter, author, photographer, filmmaker, rancher, conservationist, and environmentalist. In recognition of his environmental advocacy he received honorary degrees from the University of Lethbridge, the University of Calgary, and the University of Alberta. In 1976, he received the Julian T. Crandall Award for his efforts in conservation, and in 1977 he was presented with the Order of Canada by the Governor General of Canada.
Early life
Russell was born in 1915 in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. His parents ranched on the prairies southwest of the city until 1919, when they moved to the foot of the Rocky Mountains near Drywood Creek, north of what is now Waterton Lakes National Park. Russell attended the rural Drywood School; later he boarded in Lethbridge to complete tenth grade and part of the eleventh grade. Later in life would describe his schooling as "limited formal variety, considerable Rocky Mountain variety." At sixteen Russell went to work, initially as an agricultural hand and then as a trapper. But unlike other trappers, Russell was not simply interested in making money; he was curious about the animals. He read everything he could about the habits of the animals of the Rocky Mountains.
Our highlight was Prom 64, the JasonMax Ferdinand singers, who were new to us all ... Spellbinding … the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers at the 2024 Proms ... AndyParadise/BBC‘Russell T Davies posed for selfies’ ... Andy Paradise‘Worth both the wait and the trip’.
