Carol Richards, born Carol June Vosburgh on June 6, 1922, in Harvard, Illinois, was a renowned American singer and actress. She gained fame for her classic duet with Bing Crosby on the Christmas song "Silver Bells," recorded in 1952. Richards began performing at the age of four but was temporarily withdrawn from the stage by her mother, who felt she was acting "like a diva." She resumed performing at 11 and went on to win a Bob Hope-sponsored talent contest in the early 1940s, which led to appearances with Hope and eventually meeting Crosby.

In addition to her singing career, Richards was known for dubbing the singing voices of actresses in several films, most notably for Cyd Charisse in "Brigadoon" (1954) and "Silk Stockings" (1957). She was a regular on "The Bob Crosby Show" and appeared on various TV variety shows alongside stars like Danny Kaye and Jerry Lewis.

Richards was married to Edward Swiedler from 1966 until her death on March 16, 2007, in Vero Beach, Florida, due to kidney failure. She was survived by numerous children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her legacy lives on through her contributions to film and music, particularly her definitive rendition of "Silver Bells" with Bing Crosby.