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Timi Yuro
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Key Information
Rosemary Victoria Yuro (August 4, 1941 – March 30, 2004), known professionally as Timi Yuro, was an American singer. Sometimes called "the little girl with the big voice",[1] she is considered to be one of the first blue-eyed soul stylists of the rock era. Yuro possessed a contralto vocal range.[2] According to one critic, "her deep, strident, almost masculine voice, staggered delivery and the occasional sob created a compelling musical presence".[3]
Early years
[edit]Yuro was born in Chicago, Illinois, on August 4, 1941,[1] into an Italian-American family whose original name may have been Aurro. By the time of her birth, however, the family used the spelling Yuro. In 1952, young Rosemary moved with her family to Los Angeles,[1][3] where she sang in her parents' Italian restaurant[4] and, despite their opposition, in local nightclubs before catching the eye and ear of talent scout Sonny Knight.
Career
[edit]Signed to Liberty Records in 1959, she had a U.S. Billboard No. 4 single in 1961 with "Hurt", an R&B ballad that had been an early success for Roy Hamilton.[4] Yuro's recording was produced by Clyde Otis,[4] who had previously worked with Brook Benton and Dinah Washington.[1][3] Later that year she recorded as a duo with Johnnie Ray. She charted some further minor hits including "Smile" (No. 42),[4] opened for Frank Sinatra on his 1962 tour of Australia, and received a 1962 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist of 1961 (losing to Peter Nero).
In 1962, Bob Johnston and Otis produced Yuro's single "What's a Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You?)",[4] which went to No. 12 on the Billboard pop chart.[5] On both "Hurt" and "What's a Matter Baby", Yuro showed an emotional but elegant vocal style that owed a debt to Washington and other black jazz singers. Many listeners in the early 1960s thought Yuro was black.[1] Her single "The Love of a Boy" reached No. 44 in 1962. It was arranged and co-written by Burt Bacharach, but Yuro refused to record his suggested follow-up, "What the World Needs Now Is Love".[3]
In the following year, Liberty released Make the World Go Away, an album of country and blues standards.[4] The singer at her vocal peak, this recording includes the hit title song (later a bigger hit for Eddy Arnold, with whom the song is usually associated),[4] a version of Willie Nelson's "Permanently Lonely", and two different blues takes of "I'm Movin' On". Yuro was also known for soulful reworkings of popular American standards, such as "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", "Smile", and "I Apologize". She toured Europe in 1963, and appeared on the British TV show Ready Steady Go!.[3] However, in the U.S. her image became established as a cabaret performer,[4] rather than as a soul singer.[1]
By 1964, Yuro had moved to Mercury Records, but her first record for the label, "You Can Have Him", arranged by Jack Nitzsche,[5] only just scraped into the chart and was her last hit. Nevertheless, her album The Amazing Timi Yuro, produced by Quincy Jones, was an artistic success. According to one critic, "her deep, strident, almost masculine voice, staggered delivery and the occasional sob created a compelling musical presence".[3]
Subsequent records were unsuccessful, although a B-side, "Can't Stop Running Away", was later popular on the UK's Northern soul circuit.[1] In the 1960s, Yuro made two TV appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and was a guest on American Bandstand, Where the Action Is, and The Lloyd Thaxton Show. In 1967, she appeared in a black-and-white film in the Philippines as a guest star alongside Filipino comedians Dolphy and Panchito in a comedy titled Buhay Marino ("Life of a Sailor"), a film released by Wag-Wag Productions, Inc. Prior to that, Yuro also appeared as a guest on the Student Canteen TV program hosted by Leila Benitez of CBN (now ABS-CBN) in Aduana, Manila, and afterwards, did a singing concert at the Araneta Coliseum (now Smart Araneta Coliseum). At that time, the singer was very popular in the Philippines. She re-signed for Liberty Records in 1968, and recorded in London.
By the late 1960s, Yuro had performed in venues from London to Las Vegas. She appeared at the Kray twins' clubs in London as she was a favorite of Reggie Kray.[6] In 1965 and 1968, she sang at the Sanremo Music Festival, Italy's most popular music contest. However, her career lost its early momentum and she quit the music business altogether after her marriage in 1969.[3]
Later career
[edit]In 1981, Yuro attempted a comeback in the Netherlands, performing as a guest of honor on Dutch national television. She re-recorded a version of "Hurt" that reached No. 5 on the Dutch pop charts.[4] She also signed to the Dutch record label Dureco to record a new album, All Alone Am I; it went to No. 1 on the Dutch album charts and was eventually certified as a gold record. With these successes, Yuro moved to the Netherlands and continued with a string of hit singles and albums. After her record sales began to decline there in the mid-1980s, Yuro returned to the United States. Her last recording was the vinyl album Today, which was released in 1982 by Ariola and produced by her old friend and collaborator Willie Nelson.[4] In 1990, the disc was reissued as a CD, remastered and remixed by Yuro herself on her own label Timi and titled Timi Yuro Sings Willie Nelson.
Illness and death
[edit]She was diagnosed with throat cancer in the 1990s, and died at the age of 62 in 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada.[3]
Influence
[edit]Yuro's work is admired in the United States as well as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. According to the obituary in the Las Vegas Sun, her hometown paper, Yuro's most famous fan was probably Elvis Presley, who commanded his own table at the casino where Yuro headlined in the late 1960s. (Presley had a top 10 country hit and top 30 pop hit with his 1976 version of "Hurt".) In April 2004, Morrissey announced Yuro's death on his official website, describing her as his "favorite singer". (Morrissey also recorded a version of Yuro's "Interlude" with Siouxsie Sioux in 1994.) P. J. Proby knew Yuro from their time in Hollywood, and often mentions it during his performances of "Hurt".[citation needed]
Elkie Brooks recorded a version of Yuro's classic "What's a Matter Baby" on her 1988 album Bookbinder's Kid. Yuro was so impressed with the version, she contacted Brooks while she was on a UK tour, and the two kept in contact.
Yuro found success on the dance floors of northern England in the 1970s and 1980s when Northern soul DJs championed her tracks, "It'll Never Be Over for Me"[7] and "What's a Matter Baby". The former has remained an important Northern soul track; the latter was covered by The Small Faces as the B-side of their debut single in 1965 and re-released on Kent Records in the 1980s.
Yuro's 1962 recording of "Satan Never Sleeps" is the theme song that plays over the opening credits of the 1962 film of the same name. It also plays over the closing credits of Penny Lane's 2019 documentary film Hail Satan?.
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- Hurt!!!!!!! (Liberty Records 7208, 1961)
- Soul (Liberty Records 7212, 1962)
- Let Me Call You Sweetheart (Liberty Records 7234, 1962)
- What's a Matter Baby (Liberty Records 7263, 1963)
- The Best of Timi Yuro (Liberty Records 7286, 1963)
- Make the World Go Away (Liberty Records 7319, 1963)
- The Amazing Timi Yuro (Mercury Records 60963, 1964)
- Timi Yuro (Sunset Records 5107, 1966)
- Something Bad on My Mind (Liberty Records 7594, 1968)
- Live at PJ's (Liberty Records, 1969)
- The Very Best of Timi Yuro (Liberty Records LBR 1034) 1980
- All Alone Am I (Dureco Benelux 77.011, 1981)
- I'm Yours (Arcade, 1982)
- Today (Ariola, 1982)
CD collections
[edit]- Hurt! The Best of Timi Yuro (Liberty Records, 1963 /EMI Records, 1992)
- Timi Yuro – 18 Heartbreaking Songs (Intermusic, 1993 – RMB 75061)
- Timi Yuro: The Lost Voice of Soul (RPM Records, 1993 – RPM-117)
- Timi Yuro: The Voice That Got Away (RPM Records, 1996 – RPM-167)
- The Amazing Timi Yuro: The Mercury Years (Spectrum Music – Universal International (UK), 2005 – 982-596-5)
- Timi Yuro: The Complete Liberty Singles (Real Gone Music, 2012 – RGM-0066)
- Timi Yuro: I'm a Star Now Rarities 1956–1982 (RPM RECORDS, 2014 – RPM-955)
- Timi Yuro: Hurt!/Live at PJs (Liberty Bell, 1986 – LST-7208, Italy, 2 lps on 1 cd)
- Timi Yuro: Something Bad on My Mind/The Unreleased Liberty Collection(Morello Records, 2015 – MRLLX-50)
Singles
[edit]| Year | Song | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US AC | US R&B | ||
| 1961 | "Hurt" | 4 | 2 | 22 |
| "I Apologize" | 72 | 19 | — | |
| "Smile" | 42 | 9 | — | |
| "She Really Loves You" | 93 | — | — | |
| "I Believe" (with Johnnie Ray) | — | — | — | |
| 1962 | "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" | 66 | 15 | — |
| "I Know (I Love You)" | — | — | — | |
| "What's a Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You)" | 12 | — | 16 | |
| "The Love of a Boy" | 44 | — | — | |
| 1963 | "Insult to Injury" | 81 | — | — |
| "Make the World Go Away" | 24 | 8 | — | |
| "Gotta Travel On" | 64 | — | — | |
| 1964 | "Permanently Lonely" | 130 | — | — |
| "Call Me" | — | — | — | |
| "A Legend in My Time" | — | — | — | |
| "I'm Movin' On" | — | — | — | |
| "If" | 120 | — | — | |
| "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" | — | — | — | |
| 1965 | "You Can Have Him" | 96 | — | — |
| "I Can't Stop Running Away" | — | — | — | |
| "Big Mistake" | — | — | — | |
| "E Poi Verrà L'Autunno / Ti Credo" | — | — | — | |
| 1966 | "Once a Day" | 118 | — | — |
| "Don't Keep Me Lonely Too Long" | — | — | — | |
| "Turn the World Around the Other Way" | — | 37 | — | |
| 1967 | "Why Not Now" | — | — | — |
| 1969 | "It'll Never Be Over for Me" | — | — | — |
| 1975 | "Southern Lady" | 108 | — | — |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Biography by Jason Ankeny at Allmusic.com. Retrieved February 4, 2013
- ^ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock-N-Roll Gold Rush. Algora Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Bob Dickinson, Timi Yuro: Feisty white singer with a black soul voice, The Guardian, 10 April 2004. Retrieved February 4, 2013
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 1290. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955–2002 (1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 785. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
- ^ Leonie Cooper, "'Legend' Director On The Krays' Taste In Music, Casting Duffy And Tom Hardy's Sinatra Secret", NME, 9 September 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2016
- ^ "Timi Yuro". The Independent. April 1, 2004. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
External links
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| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
Timi Yuro
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Birth and family
Timi Yuro was born Rosemarie Timotea Aurro on August 4, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois, to Italian-American parents Louis and Edith Aurro.[4] The Aurro family embodied the working-class ethos common among Italian immigrants in mid-20th-century Chicago, with her father Louis holding various jobs to support the household before pursuing entrepreneurial ventures.[5] In 1952, seeking better business prospects, the family relocated to Los Angeles, California, where Louis eventually opened an Italian restaurant called Alvoturno's in Hollywood.[6][7] Within this close-knit Italian-American environment, music played a central role, reflecting broader cultural traditions where family gatherings and eateries often featured singing and entertainment.[8] Yuro's parents, particularly her mother Edith, actively encouraged her vocal talents from a young age, allowing her to perform at home and later in the family restaurant despite her youth, fostering an early sense of confidence in her abilities.[7][8]Musical beginnings
After her family relocated from Chicago to Los Angeles in 1952, Timi Yuro began performing music at her parents' Italian restaurant, where she sang to entertain customers and help boost the business.[9] Starting around the age of 12, she delivered renditions of Italian songs and popular standards, drawing on her early exposure to diverse musical styles.[10] As a teenager, Yuro expanded her performances to local nightclubs, starting weekend gigs at age 14 despite her parents' initial opposition.[10] Her powerful, emotive voice—mature beyond her youthful appearance—quickly earned her a local reputation, often compared to established vocalists for its depth and phrasing.[9] She drew inspiration from blues, gospel, and pop singers, particularly idolizing Dinah Washington and emulating the interpretive style of Sarah Vaughan.[9][11] In the late 1950s, around 1959, Yuro's talents caught the attention of singer and producer Sonny Knight, who was scouting for Liberty Records.[9] Knight discovered her during a performance at the family restaurant and recommended her to label executives, sparking professional interest in her career.[12]Career
1960s breakthrough
At age 19, Timi Yuro signed with Liberty Records in 1959, marking the beginning of her professional recording career after early nightclub performances in Los Angeles.[1] Initially, the label assigned her material that did not suit her powerful, emotive style, leading to two years of frustration before a breakthrough opportunity arose.[1] Yuro's debut single "Hurt," a cover of Roy Hamilton's R&B ballad, was released in 1961 and propelled her to national prominence, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 22 on the R&B chart.[13] Produced by Clyde Otis and arranged by Belford Hendricks, the track featured a lush orchestral backing that amplified Yuro's raw, heart-wrenching vocal delivery, evoking comparisons to Dinah Washington and establishing her as a torch song interpreter.[14] Follow-up releases built on this success, including "What's a Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You)" in 1962, which peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100 with mixing by Phil Spector, and "Make the World Go Away" in 1963, reaching No. 24. These hits, along with tracks like "The Love of a Boy" (co-written and arranged by Burt Bacharach), showcased her ability to infuse pop and soul with deep emotional intensity.[1] Yuro's rising profile led to high-profile opportunities, such as opening for Frank Sinatra on his 1962 Australian tour, where her commanding presence impressed audiences and critics alike.[1] That same year, she earned a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist of 1961, though she lost to Peter Nero.[15] During her time at Liberty, Yuro released several albums that highlighted her torch song prowess, including the debut Hurt!!!!!!! (1961), What's a Matter Baby (1962), and Make the World Go Away (1963), each featuring orchestral arrangements and covers of standards that emphasized her dramatic phrasing.[16] In 1963, she transitioned to Mercury Records, seeking new creative directions under producer Quincy Jones.[1] Her final U.S. chart entry came with "You Can Have Him" in 1965, peaking at No. 96 on the Hot 100, after which her domestic commercial momentum waned despite three career Top 40 singles overall. In the late 1960s, Yuro briefly returned to Liberty Records in 1968, recording more experimental tracks influenced by R&B production styles and contributing the song "Interlude" to the soundtrack of the film Interlude (1968).[2]1970s retirement and 1980s comeback
Following the decline in her U.S. chart success by the late 1960s, Timi Yuro effectively retired from performing and recording in 1969, focusing instead on personal life after her marriage to Robert Selnick in 1969.[2] She relocated to Las Vegas, where she made occasional appearances in local supper clubs during the 1970s, though these were limited and did not revive her career momentum.[17] Yuro staged a notable comeback in Europe starting in 1981, beginning with a high-profile television appearance on the Dutch AVRO's Platen Publieksprijs program, where she performed a re-recorded version of her signature hit "Hurt." This rendition peaked at No. 5 on the Dutch singles chart, marking her first significant chart entry in over a decade.[18] Buoyed by this reception, she signed with the Dutch label Dureco and released the album All Alone Am I later that year, which featured covers of pop and country standards like "Little Things Mean a Lot" and topped the Dutch album charts for four weeks, spending a total of 24 weeks in the Top 100.[19] The momentum continued into 1982 with the release of Today on Ariola Records, an album produced by and featuring duets with longtime admirer Willie Nelson, including tracks like "There's a Way" and "Did I Ever Love You." This project, which emphasized Yuro's emotive interpretations of Nelson's compositions, reached No. 50 on the Dutch album charts but charted for only one week.[20] Yuro undertook extensive European tours to promote these efforts, solidifying her renewed popularity abroad through live performances and additional recordings of country and pop material. Her final major release came in 1984 with Timi Yuro Sings Willie Nelson, a full album of Nelson-penned songs that served as a collaborative tribute, though it did not achieve significant chart success.[21] While U.S. activity remained sparse during this period, Yuro cultivated a growing cult following in the UK's Northern soul scene, where uptempo tracks from her earlier catalog, such as "It'll Never Be Over for Me," gained enduring popularity among DJs and dancers.[1]Health and death
Cancer diagnosis
In 1985, during her attempts to revive her music career following a period of retirement, Timi Yuro was diagnosed with throat cancer after her doctors detected abnormalities during vocal assessments.[3][22] This diagnosis came around the time of the release of her final album, Timi Yuro Sings Willie Nelson, in 1985, marking the end of her active performing years as the illness severely compromised her powerful contralto voice.[22][1] Yuro underwent multiple surgical interventions to combat the cancer, including a tracheostomy around 1994 to manage breathing difficulties.[22] By 2002, the progression of the disease necessitated the removal of her larynx in a laryngectomy procedure, rendering her unable to speak or sing without assistive devices and confining communication to written notes.[22] Although radiation and chemotherapy were not publicly detailed in her medical history, these surgeries effectively halted any possibility of resuming performances, with physicians explicitly advising against vocal exertion due to irreversible damage to her vocal cords.[3][2] The diagnosis and subsequent treatments took a profound emotional toll on Yuro, who was devastated by the loss of her singing voice—a core element of her identity—and avoided listening to her own recordings for years.[22] Despite the severity of her condition and medical warnings, she demonstrated remarkable determination, fighting the cancer resiliently while focusing on personal life, including her family, though she could no longer engage in music-related activities professionally.[22][1]Final years and passing
In the terminal phase of her illness, Timi Yuro's throat cancer progressed severely, leading to the removal of her vocal box around 2002, which rendered her unable to speak and confined her communication to written notes.[22] She spent her final four months in declining health, receiving medical care before returning to her Las Vegas home just three days prior to her death on March 30, 2004, at age 63.[22] The cause was confirmed as complications from the cancer.[7] Yuro lived quietly in her Las Vegas home during these years, surrounded by her husband of over three decades, Robert Selnick, their daughter Milan, and three grandchildren, all residing in the area.[22] Having lost her singing voice more than a decade earlier due to the cancer's long-term effects, she maintained a private life without public performances or notable non-performing involvement in music.[22] No formal funeral or viewing was held following her passing, in accordance with her wishes; her ashes were planned to be spread over her parents' graves in Chicago.[22] She is memorialized at Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.[23] Upon the announcement of her death, tributes from the music world emphasized her enduring influence, with her longtime manager Roger Peacock noting her profound impact on soul and pop genres, while contemporary obituaries in major publications mourned the loss of her distinctive, emotive voice.[7][3]Legacy
Vocal style and influences
Timi Yuro possessed a deep, husky voice renowned for its emotive power and raw intensity, often described as that of a "little girl with the big voice" due to her petite stature contrasting with her commanding vocal presence.[24] Her singing blended elements of blues, gospel, and torch songs, delivering a soulful timbre that evoked profound emotional depth and vulnerability.[1] This distinctive style, marked by a strident, almost masculine quality, set her apart in the pop landscape of the era, allowing her to infuse sentimental ballads with bluesy authenticity.[3] Despite her Italian-American heritage, Yuro drew significant influences from African-American artists, particularly blues and jazz singers whose records she encountered through Chicago's black neighborhoods during her youth.[1] Dinah Washington emerged as a primary inspiration, with Yuro adopting her bluesy intensity and heartfelt delivery, as noted by Washington herself: "Timi's voice doesn't come from the throat, but from the heart. She doesn't just sing the song, she lives it."[8] These influences shaped Yuro's ability to transcend racial and genre boundaries, incorporating gospel-inflected passion and R&B phrasing into her performances.[24] Yuro's vocal techniques emphasized dramatic expression, featuring staggered phrasing, occasional sobs, and a controlled vibrato that heightened the pathos in her ballads.[1] She combined operatic training with instinctive soulful bends, creating a compelling presence that conveyed raw emotion without overstatement.[1] Over time, her style evolved from the youthful exuberance of early pop recordings to a more mature country-soul inflection in her later work, reflecting broader shifts in her artistic maturation and collaborations.[24]Impact on music and artists
Timi Yuro's powerful vocal delivery garnered admiration from prominent artists during her lifetime, notably Elvis Presley, who frequently attended her Las Vegas performances and covered her signature hit "Hurt" on his 1976 album From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.[25] Similarly, Morrissey has cited Yuro as a key influence, reflecting her impact on alternative and indie rock scenes through her emotive soul style.[26] In the United Kingdom, Yuro's recordings experienced a resurgence in the Northern soul movement during the 1970s and 1980s, with tracks like "It'll Never Be Over for Me" (originally released in 1969) becoming anthems for dancers due to its uplifting orchestration and heartfelt vocals, prompting reissues on labels such as Expansion Records in the 1990s and 2019.[1] This popularity extended her reach beyond mainstream pop, cementing her status in underground soul culture and leading to compilations like It'll Never Be Over for Me (20 Northern Soul Masterpieces) in 1998.[27] Yuro played a pivotal role in bridging the 1960s girl group sound with adult contemporary and soul genres, influencing subsequent female vocalists in pop, soul, and country by demonstrating how white artists could authentically channel R&B intensity, as seen in her collaborations with producers like Phil Spector and Quincy Jones.[4] Her work helped pioneer blue-eyed soul, paving the way for performers who blended emotional depth with crossover appeal in those styles.[8] Posthumously, Yuro's catalog has seen renewed appreciation through archival releases, including the 2012 double-CD compilation The Complete Liberty Singles on Kent Records, which collected all 35 of her U.S. singles from her Liberty tenure (1961–1965 and 1968–1970), highlighting her evolution and earning praise for preserving her raw vocal power.[28] While she received no major awards after the 1960s, her contributions have been noted in music retrospectives for their enduring emotional resonance, though specific documentaries featuring her remain limited.[26] As an Italian-American artist from Chicago, Yuro contributed to the diverse tapestry of American music by infusing pop and soul with her heritage's expressive balladry, standing alongside figures like Frank Sinatra in representing ethnic voices that shaped mid-20th-century popular song.[11]Discography
Studio albums
Timi Yuro's studio albums primarily emerged during her early 1960s tenure with Liberty Records, showcasing her powerful contralto voice through a mix of pop, soul, and standards, often emphasizing emotional ballads and covers of popular songs. Later releases in the 1980s, following her European comeback, shifted toward country influences and collaborations, reflecting her evolving style. These works highlight her versatility, from raw R&B-infused tracks to heartfelt interpretations of country material.[29] Her debut album, Hurt!!!!!!! (Liberty LRP-3208/LST-7208, 1961), introduced Yuro's signature emotive delivery on tracks like the title-inspired "Hurt," alongside standards such as "Cry," "You'll Never Know," and "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)." The album peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, benefiting from the success of its lead single "Hurt," which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.[29][30] Released the following year, Soul (Liberty LRP-3212/LST-7212, 1962) featured sophisticated arrangements of jazz standards including "Stardust," "If I Had You," and "Once in a While," underscoring Yuro's interpretive depth in a soulful context. The record emphasized her ability to infuse romantic ballads with personal intensity, though it did not achieve significant chart placement.[29] Let Me Call You Sweetheart (Liberty LRP-3234/LST-7234, 1962) continued Yuro's exploration of vintage pop, with tracks like "My Prayer," "Smile," and the title song, produced with orchestral backing that highlighted her dramatic phrasing. This release solidified her reputation for transforming classic tunes into deeply felt performances.[29] The album What's a Matter Baby (Liberty LRP-3263/LST-7263, 1962) incorporated more upbeat R&B elements, featuring the hit single "What's a Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You)," which peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, alongside covers like "Fever" and "Hallelujah, I Love Him So." It captured Yuro's transition toward rhythm and blues influences while maintaining her ballad focus.[29] In 1963, Make the World Go Away (Liberty LRP-3319/LST-7319) delved into country-pop territory with covers of Eddy Arnold's title track, which reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Patsy Cline's "She's Got You," alongside originals like "Permanently Lonely." The album received moderate acclaim for Yuro's genre-blending approach but saw limited U.S. chart success.[29] Yuro's brief stint with Mercury produced The Amazing Timi Yuro (Mercury MG-20963/SR-60963, 1964), a collection of jazz standards such as "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)," "My Foolish Heart," and "The Masquerade Is Over," emphasizing her vocal maturity and scat-like improvisations. This release marked a more introspective phase before her career hiatus.[29] After a decade away from recording, Something Bad on My Mind (Liberty LST-7594, 1968) returned Yuro to contemporary soul with self-penned tracks like the title song and "It'll Never Be Over for Me," blending heartbreak themes with orchestral production. Though not a commercial hit, it demonstrated her songwriting growth.[29] Her 1980s comeback began with All Alone Am I (Dureco/Polydor, 1981), a Dutch-market album that topped the Netherlands Albums Chart, featuring reinterpreted hits like the title track and "I'm Sorry," produced to capitalize on her renewed European popularity. The record's success revived interest in her vocal prowess.[31][4] Today (Ariola 205.006, 1982) marked a country pivot, including duets with Willie Nelson on "There's a Way" and "Will You Remember Mine," alongside tracks like "Touch Me" and "Opportunity to Cry." Produced by Nelson, it highlighted collaborative chemistry and Yuro's affinity for country ballads.[29] Yuro's final studio effort, Timi Yuro Sings Willie Nelson (1984, reissued on CD by Timi Records, 1990), focused exclusively on Nelson compositions such as "On the Road Again" and "Crazy," delivered in her signature emotive style with minimalistic arrangements. This intimate project underscored her enduring admiration for Nelson's songbook.[32][21]Singles
Timi Yuro's singles discography spans over 20 releases across multiple labels, beginning with her debut on Liberty Records in 1961 and extending through the 1960s with Liberty and Mercury, followed by Verve and Dutch imprints in later years. Her early work emphasized torch ballads and soul-infused pop, often featuring notable B-sides that occasionally charted independently. While many singles saw limited U.S. success after her initial breakthroughs, several gained traction internationally, including variants tailored for European markets.[16][30] Her breakthrough came with Liberty's "Hurt" b/w "I Apologize" in 1961, where the A-side became a signature hit, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 on the Easy Listening chart, and No. 22 on the R&B chart; the B-side separately reached No. 72 on the Hot 100 and No. 19 on Easy Listening. Follow-up singles like "Smile" b/w "She Really Loves You" (1961, Liberty 55375) peaked at No. 42 on the Hot 100 and No. 9 on Easy Listening, while "What's a Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You)" b/w "Thirteenth Hour" (1962, Liberty 55469) climbed to No. 12 on the Hot 100 and No. 16 on R&B. "The Love of a Boy" b/w "I Ain't Gonna Cry No More" (1962, Liberty 55519) reached No. 44 on the Hot 100. Later Liberty efforts included "Make the World Go Away" b/w "Look Down" (1963, Liberty 55587), which peaked at No. 24 on the Hot 100 and No. 8 on Easy Listening. Other notable 1960s releases encompassed "You Can Have Him" b/w "Could This Be Magic" (1965, Mercury 72391, No. 96 Hot 100) and "Cuttin' In" b/w "Why Not Now?" (1967, Mercury 72674). An Italian variant of "Hurt" appeared on Liberty in 1962 for European distribution.[30][16][33]| Single Title | Year | Label (Catalog) | A-Side Peak (US Billboard Hot 100) | B-Side | B-Side Peak (US) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurt / I Apologize | 1961 | Liberty (55343) | No. 4 | I Apologize | No. 72 Hot 100, No. 19 AC | B-side also charted separately; Italian variant released same year |
| Smile / She Really Loves You | 1961 | Liberty (55375) | No. 42 | She Really Loves You | No. 93 Hot 100 | - |
| What's a Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You) / Thirteenth Hour | 1962 | Liberty (55469) | No. 12 | Thirteenth Hour | - | No. 16 R&B for A-side |
| The Love of a Boy / I Ain't Gonna Cry No More | 1962 | Liberty (55519) | No. 44 | I Ain't Gonna Cry No More | - | - |
| Make the World Go Away / Look Down | 1963 | Liberty (55587) | No. 24 | Look Down | - | No. 8 AC for A-side |
| You Can Have Him / Could This Be Magic | 1965 | Mercury (72391) | No. 96 | Could This Be Magic | - | - |
| Cuttin' In / Why Not Now? | 1967 | Mercury (72674) | - | - | - | Non-charting, soul-oriented |