Evelyn Knight

Evelyn Knight first gained lasting recognition through her 1949 chart-topping release “Powder Your Face with Sunshine.” The Washington, D.C. native launched her professional path performing on local radio before signing with Decca in 1945. Her debut single for the label, “Dance with a Dolly (With a Hole in Her Stocking),” reached the Top Ten, and the follow-up “Chickery Chick” also proved a major commercial success. Subsequent releases such as “My Fickle Eye” and “Passé,” however, failed to attract comparable attention at radio or in stores.

Teaming with the vocal group the Stardusters in late 1948, Knight recorded a version of Paula Watson’s hit “A Little Bird Told Me.” The single held the number-one position for much of spring 1949 and ultimately sold more than two million copies. Supreme Records, Watson’s label, brought legal action against Decca, alleging that Knight’s arrangement duplicated the original; the court dismissed the case. Knight’s next single, “Buttons and Bows,” nevertheless offered a markedly different approach from Dinah Shore’s well-known recording, emphasizing poise and calm over Shore’s more animated delivery.

“Powder Your Face with Sunshine” became Knight’s second chart-topper and remained on the listings for roughly five months. She concluded 1949 with the double-sided single “It’s Too Late Now” / “You’re So Understanding,” each side coming close to the Top 20. The following year opened with her interpretation of Mindy Carson’s “Candy and Cake,” after which she collaborated with the Ray Charles Singers on “All Dressed Up to Smile.” Her final appearance on the charts arrived in 1951 via the duet “My Heart Cries for You” with country artist Red Foley.

Beyond a few guest spots on the Ed Sullivan–hosted variety program Toast of the Town, Knight withdrew from public view by the middle of the decade.