Barbara Cook (born October 25, 1927 in Atlanta, Georgia) was an American singer
and actress. After early work as a typist and a touring vaudeville act, she made
her Broadway debut in Flahooley (1951) and rose to prominence as Hilda Miller in
Plain and Fancy (1955) and as Cunegonde in Candide (1956), winning a Tony Award
for her portrayal of Marian in The Music Man (1957). In the mid‑1970s, she
transitioned to cabaret, debuting a solo concert at Carnegie Hall in 1975 that
led to the album At Carnegie Hall. She recorded It's Better With a Band (1981).
She earned a Drama Desk Award ...