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 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 II. It earned Allyson a Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. "Many a New Day" peaked at 13 on the "Billboard" Jazz album charts. Christopher Loudon reviewed "Many a New Day" for the "Jazz Times" in October 2015 and wrote, "At last, the Hammerstein portion of the Rodgers canon is getting serious, full-length appreciation...There's no room on this album