Okay, then, Kathy. But Kathleen sounds so much prettier.
You and I are on the same wavelength in that regard, Barry: My younger daughter's name is Madeleine (after St. Madeleine Sophie Barat), but she usually goes by "Maddie." But it's such a beautiful name that I usually avoid the abbreviated version in favor of the full name. She prefers the full version herself, but so many people have trouble pronouncing it and spelling it that she eventually got tired of having to correct everyone.
(Her middle name is Clare, after St. Clare of Assisi, founder of the Poor Clares, because we were in the middle of a bankruptcy when I was pregnant with her. Never hurts to find some humor in things.)
I saw Perry Como on occasion in the early 1960s when he would be in town to meet with Nick Perito who was his arranger and orchestra conductor on his TV specials. Nick Perito lived across the street. Perry Como was always friendly and never hesitated to sing a song on request. What a beautiful voice he had!
Nice! My parents bumped into Al Martino once in a restaurant in the 1,000 Islands but did not speak with him. Perry Como did indeed have a beautiful voice.
Which leads me to the next section:
At the Decca recording session, Ted Weems was told to "get rid of that kid who's singing. He sounds too much like Bing Crosby."
Ha! I accidentally mistook Perry Como or Bing Crosby just a few years ago.