Lola Dee, who distinguished herself from rhythm and blues to rock 'n' roll, has died at 95

His cover of the Platters song Only You sold more than a million copies in the 1950s; Singer Lola Dee died of natural causes on Thursday, December 7, at a care facility in Hinsdale, Illinois. Real name Lorraine DeAngelis, born in Chicago in 1928, she had success in the early 1950s with her title Pretty Eyed Baby.

Under contract with Chicago's Mercury Records for five years, Lorraine DeAngelis then took the name Lola Ameche. According to Variety, during the first three years of her contract, she recorded around twenty songs and catchy covers that became popular: Dance Me Loose, Old Man Mose, Down Yonder, Take Two to Tango and Don't Let the Stars.

The advent of rock 'n' roll marked a high point in the singer's career. Her record company Mercury changed her stage name again and Lola Ameche became Lola Dee. With her new blonde haircut, she recorded Dig That Crazy Santa Claus and a cover of Only You, by The Platters, which became one of her most popular titles with nearly a million records sold.

She then gave shows across America and Asia, with her repertoire including around fifty singles. Lola Dee accompanied several big names of the time on stage: Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante and Johnnie Ray.

The singer ended up retiring from her career to take care of her mother when she developed Alzheimer's disease, explains the American magazine Variety. His last public appearances were renditions of the national anthem at sporting events in Chicago in 1978.