Gormé performed in Spanish with a group called The Trio Los Panchos, becoming among the earliest so-called “crossover” artists. But Gormé’s background was a bit different: Her parents were Turkish-born Jews who emigrated to New York and spoke Ladino, a language derived from Spanish by Jews who were expelled from their homeland during the Spanish Inquisition. Like Crouse, the renowned singer Eydie Gormé - who rose to stardom in the 1950s and 1960s - recorded in both English and Spanish. Crouse remembers her grandmother playing the record whenever she would visit her as a child in Los Angeles. Marina Crouse holds a copy of the album 'Amor' performed by Eydie Gormé and The Trio Los Panchos. It's also a tribute to an artist whose work has long inspired her. Now, Crouse is back with a new album, “ Canto de Mi Corazón” (released by the Bay Area's Little Village Foundation), that celebrates her love of the Spanish language. She discovered that her bold, brassy voice was perfect for singing blues, and released her first album, “Never Too Soon,” in 2018. Still, after college, graduate school, and a divorce, Crouse's daughter encouraged her to return to music. Crouse, who grew up in a lower-income, single-parent home, needed financial security, and wasn’t sure her love of music would translate into a true career. But it was expensive to hire a teacher, and Crouse’s family couldn’t afford to help support her education.