Marjorie Moehlenkamp Finlay was a famous American opera singer and television personality. Marjorie Finlay was Taylor’s maternal Grandmother, and the mother of Taylor’s mom, Andrea Swift. Her granddaughter singer-songwriter Taylor Swift credits her decision to pursue a musical career to her.
Marjorie Finlay Biography, Life
Marjorie Finlay was born on October 5, 1928(age 74 at the time of death), in Memphis, Tennessee, to Elmer Henry Moehlenkamp of St. Charles, Missouri, and Cora Lee Morrow of Arkansas.
By nationality, she holds an American nationality and belongs to white ethnicity. She was raised in St. Charles. During high school, Finlay trained under Pearl Walker, a music professor at Lindenwood College.
In 1948, Finlay performed at Mexico Senior High School as a soloist in the Lindenwood Vesper Choir. She earned her Bachelor of Music from Lindenwood College in 1949.
During the summer of 1951, Finlay studied at the Berkshire Music Center and then in New York City on the advice of musician Edwin McArthur.
Later on 1952 Marjorie Finlay Married her Husband Robert Finlay
She married Robert Finlay, president of Raymond Construction Company, on March 22, 1952, in Palm Beach, Florida. They had two daughters, including Andrea Gardner Finlay Swift.
Her husband Robert served in the Military of the United States. Finlay was the maternal grandmother of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and her brother, actor Austin Swift.
After her marriage, Finlay and her husband moved to Havana, Cuba, where his office was located before relocating to Puerto Rico due to political unrest. They moved to Caracas before returning to Santurce with their children. Finlay died on June 1, 2003, in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Contribution of Marjorie Finlay‘s on Music Industry, Her Singing Career
Finlay was in Mu Phi Epsilon’s professional music fraternity. She was a singer in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s pop concert at Kiel Auditorium. In 1953, Marjorie returned to Lindenwood to perform a concert.
Moreover, in 1950, Finlay was working as a receptionist at Boatmen’s National Bank in St. Louis. She won a talent contest on the ABC network show Music With the Girls. In Puerto Rico, Finlay had her television program and performed in concerts, operas, and supper clubs, including a two-week stint at the Caribe Hilton Hotel.
Finlay was the special lady of functions for El Show Dish Americano on APA television in Santurce. The show’s arrangement was like This evening Featuring Jack Paar, prompting Finlay to be known as the “Parr of Puerto Rico”. She was dynamic in the Expert Arte Social orders, an urban music association.
Her Spanish was supposedly “awful” enough to be amusing to her crowds. Her network show ran six evenings per week for a considerable length of time.
Also Read: Meet Spiderman Mr. Ditkovich in Real Life, Elya Baskin Biography
Finlay performed in several South American countries. She sang with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. She also released an LP record album in Mexico. n 1962, Finlay performed at a Kiel Auditorium Pop Concert. Her performance included “Fanciulla Sbocciato d l’amore” from La rondine and “Jewel song” in addition to pop songs.
In 2020, Swift released the song “Marjorie” from her ninth studio album Evermore; Swift credited her grandmother with backing vocals which were sampled in the track. The lyric video shows footage of Marjorie’s in-home movies and pictures.
