Camden NJ - Eve Young aka Karen Chandler

Scoring hit records as both Eve Young and Karen Chandler, vocalist Eva Nadauld performed live and on records during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. As Eve Young, she is remembered for her work with Benny Goodman. As Karen Chandler, she is probably best known for her 1952 hit, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me", a song so successfully covered several years later by Mel Carter that her original is all but forgotten.

Born September 1, 1923, in Rexburg, Idaho, she began her singing career under the name Eve Young while still a student at Brigham Young University. It is possible that the university's name influenced her choice of stage name. However, Young was her mother's maiden name; the Young family was well known for their musical talents and were called the "Singin' Swingin' Youngs".

She made her national debut on Benny Goodman's NBC radio showcase on July 8, 1946, singing "I Don't Know Why," and became the Goodman Orchestra's featured vocalist for the remainder of that year. By early 1947, she joined the cast of the television showcase Musical Merry-Go-Round and was subsequently signed to RCA Victor as a solo artist. She made her chart debut a year later with "Cuanto la Gusta" before recording "My Darling, My Darling" as a duet with the Drugstore Cowboys vocalist Jack Lathrop. Although both of these records were hits, her subsequent releases, such as "Laughing Boy" and "It's Me" achieved less success, and in 1950 RCA terminated her contract. In the UK, however, she had her biggest successes in that year, with "(If I Knew You Were Comin') I'd've Baked A Cake" and "Silver Dollar (Roll, Roll, Roll)", in both cases credited to Eve Young & The Homesteaders, each reaching the top of the UK sheet music charts in 1950. (Charts based on record sales did not start in Britain until 1952.

After marrying Jack Pleis, the main arranger and conductor for Coral Records, she emerged again in late 1952 under the name Karen Chandler. Her debut for Coral was the song "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me," and it became an enormous hit. Selling over a million copies, it peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard charts and was quickly followed by a second single, "The Old Sewing Machine" b/w "I Hear the Music Now," which did not enjoy the same success. Her third release, "Goodbye Charlie, Goodbye" in the spring of 1953, fared better, reaching the Top 40, but two follow-ups, "Rosebud" and "Transfer", failed to make an impact. Chandler's final solo hit, "Why?" reached the charts in 1954.

Two subsequent recordings, "Positively No Dancing" and "Why Didn't You Tell Me?" were also unsuccessful, and in 1956 she changed genres, teaming up with country singer Jimmy Wakely for the duet "Tonight You Belong to Me". This was followed at the end of 1956 by another duet, "As Far as I'm Concerned," which this time paired Chandler with Eddie Reardon.

In 1957, she released two singles under the Decca label, "Love Is the $64,000 Question" and "Free Little Bird", but with the rise in popularity of Rock and Roll, these largely went unnoticed. In the 60's she made a small impression with "Lost And Found" (Tivoli, 1965, peaked at #141 in Record World), and then Karen Chandler had a minor comeback in 1967-68 with a revival of Hoagy Carmichael's "I Get Along Without You Very Well" on Dot. It reached No. 19 on Billboard's easy listening chart. She did not chart in the US again.

Eva Nadauld Pleis, aka Eve Young and Karen Chandler, passed away on November 3, 2010. She was survived by her children Michelle Stirber, Jason Pleis and Damon Pleis.

About Karen Chandler
from The Interlude Era website

Karen Chandler was born in Rexburg, Idaho, and got her first big exposure in music while she was at Brigham Young University. She first received recognition under the name Eve Young with the Benny Goodman Orchestra. Her first appearance was on July 8, 1946 on a Goodman radio show singing "I Don't Know Why". On subsequent radio broadcasts, Eve Young continued to perform vocals with the entire band and the Goodman sextet. Her first appearance on record was on August 7 of that year singing "For You, For Me, For Evermore" on Columbia #36736. The flip side was "A Kiss In The Night" with vocal by Art Lund. She continued doing radio with Goodman such as "Magic Carpet Ride" for the Armed Forces Radio Service, and did an un-issued test pressing of the tune "That's The Beginning Of The End" on October 15. On October 22 of 1946 Eve Young did the vocals on both sides of Columbia #37207 - "Man Here Plays Fine Piano" and "A Gal In Calico". Continuing with regular programs and "One Night Stand" broadcasts for the AFRS during the rest of the year. By New Years day 1947, Eve Young had been replaced in the Benny Goodman band by Jeanne McKeon.

In late 1947 Eve Young was signed to RCA Victor Records, but it wasn't until late on in the year 1948 that she finally found some success. It came with a bit of musical nonsense from the 1948 film "A Date With Judy" which starred Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Powell. Carmen Miranda and Xavier Cugat's Orch. did the tune "Cuanto La Gusta" which Eve Young recorded with The Drugstore Cowboys on RCA #3077. The record made the best sellers list in the top 30, and was followed by "My Darling My Darling" on #3187 on a duet with one of the Drugstore Cowboys from the previous release named Jack Lathrop. The song from the Broadway show "Where's Charley?" did a bit better than her previous release for RCA. Further RCA releases by Young included "Laughing Boy" / "I Can't Think Of A Thing To Do" on #3335, and "It's Me" and "Cabaret" on #3412 did not sell and so Eve Young was let go by RCA and faded from view.

Fast forward to the year of 1952, and Eve Young had re-invented herself with a new name - Karen Chandler, a new record label - Coral Records, and a new husband - Jack Pleis, who was also the main arranger and conductor for the Coral label. As legend has it, she was heard by Jerry Lewis doing an audition for a television show, and was steered to Coral. The first recording by this new team turned out to be one to remember. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" on Coral #60831 (the flip side was "One Dream") was an immediate hit and soon spread across the country as a top seller. During late 1952 and early 1953, the record was a mainstay on the best seller charts for over five months, sold a million copies, and reached number 5 in the country. This huge hit was followed by a forgettable effort in "I Hear The Music Now" and "The Old Sewing Machine" on #60911, but in the spring of 1953 "Goodbye Charlie, Goodbye" on #60958 (the flip was "I'd Love To Fall Asleep") which reached into the top 30 best sellers.

For the rest of the year of 1953 however, Karen Chandler came up empty. "Rosebud" / "I Wouldn't Want It Any Other Way" on #60995, and "Transfer" and "Madonna" on Coral #61034, were both non sellers. "Why?" on #61088 with "Flash In The Blue" got into the top 25 in early 1954. Following this release, "Positively No Dancing" and "Hit The Target" on #61137, and "Why Didn't You Tell Me?" and "Out In The Middle Of The Night" on #61181, both were unsuccessful. Soon the rock years were about us and Karen Chandler had experienced her day in the spotlight of the pop music world of post war America.

Retro Redux: The Mystery of Karen Chandler
by The Big Geez

One of the things I enjoy most about digging into music history is the way the process sometimes leads me into unexplored territory. The latest example occurred while I was putting together a recent piece about pop star Mel Carter and ran across another singer, a mysterious lady who'd also had a best-selling record of Mel's big hit, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me," but a dozen years earlier.

At that time the singer was known as Karen Chandler, but she had performed earlier in her career as Eve Young, and was actually born Eva Nadauld. Although her birth date is unknown, she was a native of Idaho who attended Brigham Young University, which might have helped her pick her first stage name. In any case, by the time she made her first documented professional appearance — singing with Benny Goodman's band on a 1946 radio show — Miss Nadauld was calling herself Eve Young.

Over the next several years Eve Young continued to make a name for herself, first by making more appearances with Goodman and later by working her way into early TV, gaining spots on variety shows like Musical Merry-Go-Round. She also managed to land a recording contract, which led to several successful records, among them "For You, for Me, for Evermore," and "Cuanto la Gusta." At some point along the way she'd also married arranger Jack Pleis, although the date is uncertain.

By 1950, Eve Young's recording contract had expired and she was beginning to cool off a little, but she still continued to show up in key spots from time to time. One of her best was a spotlighted turn on TV's Martin and Lewis Colgate Comedy Hour. (You can see her in the video below if you wait out Jerry's long introduction).

In 1952 Eve Young decided to completely reinvent herself. She lightened her hair, changed her name to Karen Chandler, and managed to land a new recording contract. Her debut recording for Coral Records, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" (clip), rose up the charts into the Top Ten and became her biggest seller. It was followed by other solid successes like "Goodbye Charlie, Goodbye," and "Why?", but overall her record sales began to slip.

Trying something a little different, in 1956 she teamed up with country singer Jimmy Wakely on "Tonight You Belong to Me," and the record did well but things pretty much wound down after that. Although she did attempt a brief comeback a few years later, by the late 1960s her career was over and she had disappeared from view..

Idaho Falls, Idajo Post-Register * November 9, 2010

EVA PLEIS

We sadly regret to announce the passing of our mother, Eva Nadauld Pleis, 87. Her stage name was Karen Chandler. She was born Sept. 1, 1923, and left us Nov. 3, 2010.

Mom had been in failing health for about six months. We will miss her dearly but know she is singing like an angel with her beloved husband, Jack.

Mom was born in Rexburg, Idaho, to Lillian and George Nadauld. Eva was the last surviving sibling to her six brothers and two sisters, Max, Red, Gordon, Strevell,

Dwayne, Harold, Zola and Ruth.

Raised in rural Idaho, she began singing at the tender age of 5. Eva's father encouraged her to develop her singing throughout her childhood and she became the center of attention in her musical family.

She went to New York and started a successful career singing with Benny Goodman, where she met the love of her life, Jack Pleis. Jack was an accomplished pianist and music arranger, and together they made beautiful music. They moved to Studio City, Calif., where they raised their three beautiful children.

Eva is survived by her three beloved children, Michelle (John) Stirber, Jason (Susan) Pleis and Damon Pleis; and her beautiful granddaughters, Emily Rose Pleis and Tracey Stirber; all her nieces and nephews, too many to name, including her beloved nieces, Sherry Lish and Sandy Walton.

There will be a viewing at 11 a.m. today, Nov. 10, at Faith Chapel in Los Angeles, followed by a graveside service at 1 p.m. at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.

Recordings as Eve Young
1946	For You, For Me For Evermore (Benny Goodman & his Orchestra)
1946	A Gal In Calico (Benny Goodman & his Orchestra)
1946	Man Here Plays Fine Piano (Benny Goodman & his Orchestra)
1947	Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart
1947	Cuanto La Gusta (Eve Young and The Drugstore Cowboys)
1947	My Darling My Darling (Eve Young and Jack Lathrop)
1950	Silver Dollar (Roll, Roll, Roll) (Eve Young and the Homesteaders)
1950	If I Knew Your were Comin' (I'd've Baked A Cake) (Eve Young and the Homesteaders)
	Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Eve Young and the Homesteaders)
1951	Hello Young Lovers (with Ray Malone, television Appearance
Recordings as Karen Chandler
1952	Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
1952	One Dream
1952	Goodbye Charlie, Goodbye
1952	Why
1956	Tonight You Belong To Me (Karen Chandler & Jimmy Wakely)
1956	Crazy Arms (Karen Chandler & Jimmy Wakely)


1967	Downy Swans, Red Balloons

As Eve Young Click on Images to Eenlarge