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Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole Song)
"Mona Lisa" is a popular song written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the Paramount Pictures film '' Captain Carey, U.S.A.'' (1949). The title and lyrics refer to the renaissance portrait ''Mona Lisa'' painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The song won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1950. Nat King Cole version The song's first musical arrangement was in an orchestration by Nelson Riddle, and the orchestral backing was played by Les Baxter and his Orchestra. The recording was originally the B-side of "The Greatest Inventor Of Them All." In an ''American Songwriter'' magazine interview, Jay Livingston recalled that the original advertisements for the record did not even mention "Mona Lisa"; only upon returning home from a publicity junket of numerous radio programs did the song become a hit. The cover version by Nat King Cole spent five weeks at number one on the ''Billboard'' singles chart in 1950. Cole's version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1992 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued for the remainder of his life. He found great popular success and recorded over 100 songs that became hits on the pop charts. His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first African-American man to host an American television series. He was the father of singer Natalie Cole (1950–2015). Biography Early life Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 17, 1919. He had three brothers: Eddie (1910–1970), Ike (1927–2001), and Freddy (1931–2020), and a half-sister, Joyce Coles. Each of the Coles brothers pursued careers in music. When Nat King Cole was four years old, the family moved to Chicago, Illinois, where his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American Songwriter
''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwriter'' staff concentrates on fulfilling the original objective of the magazine as set forth in the first issue in August 1984: producing an insightful, intellectually intriguing magazine about the art and stories of songwriting. ''American Songwriter'' covers all musical genres. Over the years, issues have featured Garth Brooks, Bob Dylan, Poison, Clint Black, John Denver, Smokey Robinson, Wilco, Bon Jovi, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, Kris Kristofferson, John Mellencamp, Richard Marx, Drive-By Truckers, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Beck, Dolly Parton, Eric Clapton, R.E.M., Weezer, Death Cab for Cutie, Ryan Adams, Jimmy Buffett, Merle Haggard, Rob Thomas, Toby Keith, Eddie Rabbitt, Roger Miller, Public Enemy, Sheryl Crow, James ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moon Mullican
Aubrey Wilson Mullican (March 29, 1909 – January 1, 1967), known professionally as Moon Mullican and nicknamed "King of the Hillbilly Piano Players", was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and pianist. He was associated with the hillbilly boogie style which influenced rockabilly. Jerry Lee Lewis cited him as a major influence on his own singing and piano playing. Mullican once stated, "We gotta play music that'll make them goddamn beer bottles bounce on the table". Early life Mullican was born to Oscar Luther Mullican (1876–1961) and his first wife, Virginia Jordan Mullican (1880–1915), near Corrigan, Polk County, Texas, United States. They were a farming family of Scottish, Irish and Eastern European ancestry. His Scots-Irish immigrant ancestor, James Mullikin, was born in Scotland, arriving in Maryland, United States in the 1630s from Northern Ireland. His paternal grandfather was Pvt. Wilson G. Mullican, who served in the 6th Mississippi Infantry, Con ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Williams (singer)
Richard Blaine Williams (June 7, 1926 – May 5, 2018) was an American singer. He and his brothers, Bob, Don, and Andy Williams, performed as a quartet, The Williams Brothers. Biography Richard Blaine Williams was born in Wall Lake, Iowa, the son of Jay Emerson and Florence (née Finley) Williams. While living in Cheviot, Ohio, he attended Western Hills High School (Cincinnati, Ohio), Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He finished high school at University High School (Los Angeles, California), University High School, in West Los Angeles, because of his family's move to California. Williams had three brothers: Bob, Don, and Andy. One of his first performances was in a children's choir at the local Presbyterianism, Presbyterian church. He and his brothers formed the Williams Brothers quartet in late 1938, and they performed on radio in the Midwest, first at WHO (AM), WHO, in Des Moines, Iowa. In July 1940 the family moved to Chicago and received a job at WLS (AM), WLS ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry James
Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized and was active again with his band from then until his death in 1983. He was especially known among musicians for his technical proficiency as well as his Tone (musical instrument), tone, and was influential on new trumpet players from the late 1930s into the 1940s. He was also an actor in a number of films that usually featured his band. Early life Harry James was born in Albany, Georgia, United States, the son of Everett Robert James, a bandleader in a traveling circus, the Mighty Haag Circus, and Myrtle Maybelle (Stewart), an acrobat and horseback rider. He started performing with the circus at an early age, first as a contortionist at age of four, then playing the snare drum in the band from about the age of six. It was at this age ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charlie Spivak
Charlie Spivak (February 17, 1907 – March 1, 1982) was an American trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his big band in the 1940s. Early life The details of Spivak's birth are unclear. Some sources place it in Ukraine in 1907, and that his family emigrated to settle in New Haven, Connecticut while he was a child. According to his personal papers, the former scenario is correct. He learned to play trumpet and played in his high school band, going on to work with local groups before joining Johnny Cavallaro's orchestra. Big band era and style He played with Paul Specht's band for most of 1924 to 1930, then spent time with Ben Pollack (1931–1934), the brothers Tommy Dorsey, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey (1934–1935), and Ray Noble (musician), Ray Noble (1935–1936). He played on "Solo Hop" in 1935 by Glenn Miller and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He spent 1936 and 1937 mostly working as a studio musician with Gus Arnheim, Glenn Miller, Raymond Scott's radio orchest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry Prime
Harry Charles Prime (March 5, 1920 – June 15, 2017) was a Big Band vocalist who performed from the late 1940s through the mid-1950s.Rubin, DanielDaniel Rubin: At 90, big-band singer Harry Prime gets another encore Philly.com, Philadelphia, 17 December 2010. Retrieved on 2011-01-19. Prime was a featured vocalist with the orchestras of Randy Brooks, Tommy Dorsey, Jack Fina and Ralph Flanagan Ralph Elias Flenniken (April 7, 1914 – December 30, 1995), known professionally as Ralph Flanagan, was an American big band leader, pianist, composer, and arranger for the orchestras of Hal McIntyre, Sammy Kaye, Blue Barron, Charlie Barnet, an .... He died in Chalfont, Pennsylvania in 2017 at the age of 97. Music career Prime recorded nearly 100 songs in the 1940s and 1950s, including "Until," a million-seller with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. "Until" peaked at number four in the US chart. References External links Big Band Vocalist, Harry PrimeHarry Prime on discogs.com 1920 bi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralph Flanagan
Ralph Elias Flenniken (April 7, 1914 – December 30, 1995), known professionally as Ralph Flanagan, was an American big band leader, pianist, composer, and arranger for the orchestras of Hal McIntyre, Sammy Kaye, Blue Barron, Charlie Barnet, and Alvino Rey. He joined the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers in 1950. Biography He was educated at Lorain High School in Lorain, Ohio, United States, where he was a member of the National Honors Society, the student senate, the school newspaper staff (Hi-Y) and the chorus. During World War II he served in the Merchant Marine from October 1942 to 1946. By 1949, he formed a successful orchestra which is credited with re-popularizing the Glenn Miller "sound," and which made many records, among them "Singing Winds", "Rag Mop" and "Hot Toddy." The Ralph Flanagan band was managed by Herb Hendler, an RCA A&R man who had signed Glenn Miller to his final record contract before Miller's fatal plane crash in the English Ch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Art Lund
Arthur Lund (April 1, 1915 – May 31, 1990) was an American baritone singer, initially with bandleaders Benny Goodman and Harry James, and was also a television and stage actor. Biography Arthur Lund was a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, and received his master's degree from the United States Naval Academy in aerological engineering. Lund was a high school math teacher in Kentucky who worked as a musician on the side. He left teaching to tour with Jimmy Ray and his band. He originally billed himself as Art London. He found work early on as a vocalist with a band led by clarinetist Jimmy Joy. A better-known clarinetist whom Lund would later sing with was Benny Goodman, with whom he cut several records, including “Blue Skies,” “On the Alamo,” and (in duet with Peggy Lee) “Winter Weather” and “If You Build a Better Mousetrap”. In addition to his work with the King of Swing, Lund sang and recorded with bandmaster and trumpet king Harry James. https:// ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Cherry (singer/golfer)
Donald Ross Cherry (January 11, 1924 – April 4, 2018) was an American traditional pop music and big band singer and golfer. In music, he is best known for his 1955 hit " Band of Gold". Biography Cherry was born in Wichita Falls, Texas. He started in his early 20s as a big band singer in the orchestras of Jan Garber and Victor Young. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces. In 1951, he recorded his first solo hits, " Thinking of You" and "Belle, Belle, My Liberty Belle". In 1955, came his biggest hit, "Band of Gold", which reached No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The track peaked at No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart. He had three more hits in 1956: "Wild Cherry", "Ghost Town", and "Namely You", all backed by orchestra leader Ray Conniff. He was also the voice of the Mr. Clean commercials during the late 1950s and early 1960s. In 1962, he also recorded the original version of "Then You Can Tell Me Goodb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Victor Young
Albert Victor Young (August 8, 1899– November 10, 1956)"Victor Young, Composer, Dies of Heart Attack", ''Oakland Tribune'', November 12, 1956. was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. Biography Young is commonly said to have been born in Chicago on August 8, 1900, but according to Census data and his birth certificate, his birth year is 1899. His grave marker shows his birth year as 1901. He was born into a very musical Jewish family, his father being a tenor with Joseph Sheehan's touring opera company. After his mother died, his father abandoned the family. The young Victor, who had begun playing violin at the age of six, and was sent to Poland when he was ten to stay with his grandfather and study at Warsaw Imperial Conservatory (his teacher was Polish composer Roman Statkowski), achieving the Diploma of Merit. He studied the piano with Isidor Philipp of the Paris Conservatory. While still a teenager he embarked on a career as a concert violinist with th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dennis Day
Dennis Day (born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty; May 21, 1916 – June 22, 1988) was an American actor, comedian, and singer. He was of Irish descent. Early life Day was born and raised in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx, New York City, the second of five children born to Irish immigrants Patrick McNulty and Mary (née Grady) McNulty. His father was a factory electric power engineer. Day graduated from the Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary and attended Manhattan College in the Bronx, where he sang in the glee club. In 1939, Gene McNulty, as Day was then known, sang on network radio with bandleader Larry Clinton. The Clinton broadcasts were aimed at the collegiate audience, and were often broadcast from a college campus. The 23-year-old McNulty won an audience poll as a favorite vocalist. Radio Day appeared for the first time on Jack Benny's radio show on October 8, 1939, taking the place of another tenor, Kenny Baker. He remained associated with Benny's radio and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
