Lorraine Price's granddaughter Rachael Price, 23, (right) was the jazz singer who entertained guests at the Governor's Ball held straight after the awards. She sang with the Moonglow Orchestra who played on a balcony above the guests, with a staircase leading down to the dance floor.

Talking to The Gazette last Friday, Mrs Price described Rachael as a "knockout" that night, and "worked the staircase like Judy Garland".

"The organisers wrote her a really nice letter afterwards saying good things would come out of this."

Mrs Price said Rachael's big break came after some of her recordings had been played on a Los Angeles radio station, and famous disc jockey Tom Schnabel of KCRW in Los Angeles had liked them enough to go and see her at a gig at Santa Monica.

"He recommended her to the Academy to sing at the Governor's Ball, and as he's very respected, they took his advice ," she said.

"She sang eight songs during an hour and a half show, which is huge at an event like that."

Rachael's elevation to the big time is no surprise as the whole family is into music or showbusiness.

Mrs Price, who grew up in California, married John Shelton in 1953, an actor in the 1930s and 40s, with whom she had four children.

"When I first saw him my chin dropped, as I'd never seen such a handsome man," she smiled. John Shelton's real name was Edward Price, and the family took his birth name rather than his stage name.

He had previously been married to famous actress Kathryn Grayson (who died last month) who appeared in such huge films as Showboat and Kiss me Kate.

"Kathryn was a very good friend of mine, and when she first heard Rachael sing she made a beautiful comment," Mrs Price said.

"The day that Rachael got the call that she was singing at the Governor's Ball was the day Kathryn died. I really feel she pulled some strings up there!"