Leonore Vonderlieth was born in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois, on September 26, 1894, to George Washington [so named because he was born on the 4th of July] and Katie Miller Vonderlieth. At the age of 12, after the death of her father, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother and sister. She attended Mills College in San Francisco for two years. She had a three range voice, from contralto to soprano. She began writing songs at 11. In 1912, when she was 18, her first two compositions, "Glenwood Waltzes" and "In the Twilight," were published.

She moved to New York City and in 1920 Dr. Lee DeForrest invited her to sing over his wireless telephone station at 40th Street and Broadway. She had no music to accompany her when she sang "Swanee River." She was compelled by the state of the microphones to use soft tones to prevent a high note shattering a transmitter tube so she developed the "crooning" style. She was instantly popular and continued in radio until her death. She was Manager-Director and Chief Entertainer of WDT, a New York City radio station.

At some point -- the article in the Mt. Pulaski Times-News Siltennial Edition says 1951 but that's impossible -- she returned to Mt. Pulaski and wrote a short article for the newspaper at the request of Editor and Publisher Harry J. Wible. She talks of the government asking us to conserve and makes mention of other war things.

She said she made her "ignominous debut" at the age of 3. She had painted her face with burnt cork and when the cork was washed off it was discovered she had the measles, apparently a life long source of teasing. She said that while she had moved away at 12 she made return visits as a "youngster." She talks about things that were in town and were there no longer.

Mt. Pulaski has one of only two still existing courthouses where [later President] Abraham Lincoln practiced law. She commented: "Our Lincoln Shrine certainly will be a worthy commemoration to a great man..." She talks about a post office box that once belonged to Abraham Lincoln, Springfield No. 3432, which was transferred from Springfield to Mt. Pulaski. The postmaster assigned the box to the Wind Mill company and was used by her father who was a partner in the company.

She commented: "This changing world marches on but some Logan county specialties remain the same. Whether it be due to the quality of the cream and milk, or the cunning of the hand that fashioned it, Logan County Ice Cream is second to none: I have eaten ice cream in many parts of the world, but Bertoni's has the same deliciousness that I remember so well in that frozen delicacy made in our family."

She wrote "Blue Bonnets" for the Texas Centennial, also "Rangerettes," "Hi Yo Silver," "A LIttle Bit of Sunshine," "At Eventide," "Bye Low," "Ducklings on Parade," "I Wasn't Lying When I Said I Love You," "If It Hadn't Been for You," "Love is a Song," "My Lover Comes A-Riding," "Rosemary for Remembrance," "The Gingerbread Brigade," "The Madonna's Lullaby." She also played the role of prima donna in the Lionel Barrymore play, "Laugh, Clown, Laugh."

She was married twice. There were no children. She wrote she would retire to Mt. Pulaski "if indeed I ever do retire!" It was not to be. She died Thursday, May 27, 1943, in the Hotel Statler, Buffalo, New York, from "a heart complication." She was only 48. Her sister, Alma Cunningham, was visiting from Los Angeles, California, at the time. Mrs. Cunningham brought her ashes back to Mt. Pulaski for burial. Her residence was Easton, Connecticut, and her possessions were auctioned in July of 1943 to settle the estate.