Ms Sumac was a beautiful and talented performer with a uniquely alluring voice. She was an accomplished entertainer and genuine star of an era when hi fi recording may have been at its peak. One reviewer referred to her vocal pyrotechnics which adequately describes her approach to music. She also knew something about promotion. I do not know that it has ever been proven without question about her identity as Amy Camus. But Camus is Sumac spelled backwards. She certainly was unique. Fortunately, there are CDs available allowing her music to continue to survive.

I read an article some years back about a promoter who dreamed up the idea of presenting a concert with Yma Sumac and Elton Britt. The attraction was that they were performers very different types of music but they each had an incredible vocal range. As I remember, Ms Sumac was not that enthralled about appearing on stage with a country singer but agreed to do the concert if Britt performed his portion of the show first. Britt supposedly gave the performance of a lifetime and played to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. So the story goes, Ms Sumac suddenly became ill and could not go on stage for her portion of the concert. That was the way the story went. I cannot verify the truth or accuracy.