From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Mon Feb 17, 2003  1:14 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Dodie Stevens
 
DODIE STEVENS

Born Geraldine Anne Pasquale, 17 February 1946, Chicago, Illinois

Geraldine Pasquale was raised primarily in California's San Gabriel Valley.
As a child she took singing and dancing lessons, and at age eight issued
her debut single "Merry-Go-Round and Round," released on the Gold Star
label and credited to Geri Pace. In the years to follow she appeared regularly
on local television programs, and while performing on the show Strictly
Informal was spotted by Crystalette Records president Carl Burns, who 
rechristened the 12-year-old Dodie Stevens. Her first single for the label,
"Pink Shoe Laces," reached # 3 on the Billboard charts in March of 1959;
distinguished from the competition thanks to its daffy spoken verses, the
record made Stevens a star, and that same year she issued her self-titled 
debut LP on Dot and also co-starred in the Don Siegel film Hound-Dog Man.
Two more LPs followed, as did an appearance in the 1961 feature Convicts 
Four, but Stevens proved unable to maintain her early momentum, though
she scored four more minor hits, including an answer song to Presley's
"Are You Lonesome Tonight", called "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight". This
was her final chart entry, in early 1961, and at the ripe old age of 16, she
retired from performing, got married and went to live on a farm in Missouri. 
She returned to music in 1966 as Geraldine Stevens, later singing with 
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77 and touring as a backing vocalist behind Mac 
Davis for 12 years. In the 90s, as Geri Stevens, she has been touring with 
Fabian and her own company, "Dodie Stevens and The Pink Shoe Laces
Review".

Pink Shoelaces is available on the CD "Early GIrls, Vol. 1" (Ace 608).