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Ruth Etting (November 23, 1897 — September 24, 1978) was an American singing star and actress of the 1920s and 1930s, who had over 60 hit recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film.she is known as "America's Sweetheart of Song" Her signature tunes were "Shine On Harvest Moon", "Ten Cents a Dance", and "Love Me or Leave Me". Her other popular recordings included "Button Up Your Overcoat", "Mean to Me", "Exactly Like You", and "Shaking the Blues Away". Born in David City, Nebraska in 1897 to Alfred and Winifred (née Kleinhan) Etting. When Ruth was five years old, her mother died and... MORE

Ruth Etting (November 23, 1897 — September 24, 1978) was an American singing star and actress of the 1920s and 1930s, who had over 60 hit recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film.she is known as "America's Sweetheart of Song" Her signature tunes were "Shine On Harvest Moon", "Ten Cents a Dance", and "Love Me or Leave Me". Her other popular recordings included "Button Up Your Overcoat", "Mean to Me", "Exactly Like You", and "Shaking the Blues Away". Born in David City, Nebraska in 1897 to Alfred and Winifred (née Kleinhan) Etting. When Ruth was five years old, her mother died and she went to live with her paternal grandparents, George and Hannah Etting. Alfred Etting remarried and moved away from David City and largely out of his daughter's life. Ruth Etting left David City at the age of seventeen to attend art school in Chicago. Her job designing costumes at the Marigold Gardens nightclub led to employment singing and dancing in the chorus there. She became a featured vocalist at the nightclub, and married gangster Martin "Moe the Gimp" Snyder on July 12, 1922. He managed her career, booking radio appearances, and eventually had her signed to an exclusive recording contract LESS