Gertrude Lawrence but when he proved to be unenthused by the suggestion, Lawrence sent the book to Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Rodgers initially demurred because he felt Lawrence's vocal range was limited and she had a tendency to sing flat. But he realised the story had strong potential, and the two men agreed to write what ultimately became "The King and I". It opened on Broadway in March 1951, and ultimately, Lawrence won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance. Her triumph was short-lived; her health deteriorated rapidly, forcing her to miss numerous performances until
Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein for splashy solos or virtuosic grandstanding. The focus is squarely on sensitive, intelligent arrangements shaped around Allyson's unique sound—slightly parched and gently tremulous—expressly built to exalt a spectrum of instantly familiar yet largely underappreciated gems. An exquisitely thoughtful trio album, it's also an important one". C. Michael Bailey reviewed the album for "AllAboutJazz" and gave it 4.5 stars out of 5. Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein is an album by Karrin Allyson recorded in tribute to the songwriting partnership of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein