In 2002, just prior to her official retirement, she paired with harpist Catherine Michel for Girl Talk, which found her revisiting some of her favorite songs from her career. Valente retreated into semi-retirement in the '90s, making the occasional live appearance. Come l'inglese Petula Clark e la greca Nana Mouskouri, anche Caterina Valente era una vera e propria interprete multinazionale, anzi la prima delle tre perch aveva iniziato sin dalla seconda met degli anni '50 a pubblicare le sue canzoni, in parte originali scritte per lei, in parte cover da tutto il mondo, in diverse lingue europee.
She continued recording into the mid-'80s, issuing Caterina 86, a recording made with the Count Basie Orchestra. In the mid-'70s, Valente married her musical director, British jazz pianist Roy Budd, although the marriage was short-lived. Her version of "La Golondrina" appeared on one of the first charity albums, 1963's All Star Festival, whose proceeds aided refugees. During the '50s and '60s she notched hits in the charts of many countries, including Italy ("Till," "Personalita," "Nessuno al Mondo"), Germany ("Ganza Paris Träumt von der Liebe," "Wo Meine Sonne Scheint," "Steig in das Traumboot der Liebe"), and France ("Bimbombey," "39 Fievere," "Saitôn-Jamais"). By this time, Valente had become a truly multilingual artist, performing her cabaret act and issuing recordings in six languages: French, German, Italian, English, Spanish, and Swedish. "Malagueña" was her first big hit, followed by "Andalucia," which, when re-released in an English version as "The Breeze and I," became a Top Ten hit in both the U.K. Two songs written by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona charted in Europe and eventually England and the U.S. Her first big hits came soon after that on albums like The Hi-Fi Nightingale and Olé Caterina. She was soon signed to Polydor and made her recording debut, Bouquet de Mélodies, in 1955. She performed in Europe as a singer for several years (and in a duo with her brother Silvio Francesco), but her career as an internationally known vocalist began in 1953 when she joined Kurt Edelhagen's band in Germany. Her mother was a clown and her father was an accordion player as a child she worked in the circus as well. Born in Paris, France in 1931, Valente grew up in an Italian circus family. A gifted singer, guitarist, and dancer, Caterina Valente is a multilingual artist who emerged in Europe during the 1950s and became one of the most beloved and iconic performers of her generation.
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