Grace Moore.

Grace Moore was born on December 5, 1898, in Slabtown, Tennessee, and grew up in Jellico after her family moved there. She attended Jellico High School, where she captained the girls basketball team in 1916 and was selected by Florenz Ziegfeld as one of the ten most beautiful women in the world.

Initially wanting to be a missionary, she later studied at Ward–Belmont College before pursuing a career in music.

Grace Moore’s film career began with A Lady’s Morals in 1930, where she portrayed Jenny Lind. Her breakthrough came with One Night of Love in 1934, for which she received an Academy Award nomination and which became her signature role as Mary Barrett.

She continued to star in films like Love Me Forever 1935, The King Steps Out 1936, and When You’re in Love 1937. Beyond film, she was an internationally famous star of the Metropolitan Opera, Broadway, radio, and recordings. In 1938, she became the mentor and benefactor for Metropolitan soprano Dorothy Kirsten. She was decorated as a chevalier of the Legion of Honour in France in 1939.

Grace Moore married Spanish actor Valentín Parera. The couple remained together until her death. She had no children. Outside of her career, she was commissioned as a colonel on the staff of the governor of Tennessee.

Grace Moore’s sudden death in a plane crash in 1947 cut short a vibrant career. She was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and remains remembered as the Tennessee Nightingale. Her life was depicted in the 1952 film So This Is Love, starring Kathryn Grayson. She inspired future opera singers, including Dorothy Kirsten, whom she mentored. Today, she is most recalled for her Oscar-nominated performance in One Night of Love.