Rina Ketty

Rina Ketty (March 24, 1911 – December 18, 1995) was a French-Italian singer, actress, and radio performer who became an international entertainment star during the 1930s and 1940s. Born Margherita Marta Kettaneh in Lyon, France, to an Italian father and French mother, she adopted the stage name Rina Ketty and quickly rose to prominence in European music and theater. She achieved international success with her signature song 'I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time' in 1938, which became a defining hit of the pre-war era and established her as a major recording artist. Her warm, expressive contralto voice and sophisticated stage presence made her a favorite in Parisian nightclubs and concert halls. Ketty performed extensively during the turbulent WWII era, navigating the complexities of entertaining during Nazi occupation of France. She recorded numerous songs in French, Italian, and English, reaching audiences across Europe and beyond. After the war, she continued performing and appeared in films, maintaining her career through the 1950s and beyond. Ketty's contributions to pre-war European music and her resilience through wartime challenges earned her respect as a cultural survivor and artist. She remains remembered as a symbol of sophisticated European entertainment from the golden age of radio and early cinema.