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The Ray Conniff Singers
Joseph Raymond Conniff (November 6, 1916 – October 12, 2002) was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s. Biography Conniff was born November 6, 1916 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, United States, and learned to play the trombone from his father. He studied music arranging from a course book. Early career After serving in the U.S. Army in World War II (where he worked under Walter Schumann), he joined the Artie Shaw big band and wrote many arrangements for him. After his stint with Shaw, he was hired in 1954 by Mitch Miller, head of A&R at Columbia Records, as the label's home arranger, working with several artists including Rosemary Clooney, Marty Robbins, Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis, Guy Mitchell and Johnnie Ray. He wrote a top-10 arrangement for Don Cherry's "Band of Gold" in 1955, a single that sold more than a million copies. Among the hit singles Conniff backed with his orchestra (and eventually with a male chorus) wer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It was once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers. According to the 2020 census, Attleboro had a population of 46,461. Attleboro is located about west of Taunton, 10 miles north of Providence, northwest of Fall River, and south of Boston. History In 1634, English settlers first arrived in the territory that is now Attleboro. The deed that granted them the land was written by Native American Wamsutta. The land was divided in 1694 as the town of Attleborough. It included the towns of Cumberland, Rhode Island, until 1747 and North Attleborough, Massachusetts, until 1887. In 1697 in response to an unwanted amount of disturbances, mainly from nearby tribes of natives, the town had a meeting and ended up deciding that selectmen would keep tabs on strangers and foreigners as well as banning certain ones from entering the town. The town was reincorporated in 1914 as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Mathis
John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status and 73 making the ''Billboard'' charts. Mathis has received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for three recordings. Although frequently described as a romantic singer, his discography includes traditional pop, Brazilian and Spanish music, soul, rhythm and blues, show tunes, Tin Pan Alley, soft rock, blues, country music, and even a few disco songs for his album ''Mathis Magic'' in 1979. Mathis has also recorded six albums of Christmas music. In a 1968 interview, Mathis cited Lena Horne, Nat King Cole, and Bing Crosby among his musical influences. Early life and education Mathis was born in Gilmer, Texas, on September 30, 1935, the fourth of seven children of Clem Mathis and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth name that are on permanent public display in several institutions. He is the founder of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, New York. Bennett began singing at an early age. He fought in the final stages of World War II as a U.S. Army infantryman in the European Theater. Afterward, he developed his singing technique, signed with Columbia Records and had his first number-one popular song with " Because of You" in 1951. Several tracks such as "Rags to Riches" followed in early 1953. He then refined his approach to encompass jazz singing. He reached an artistic peak in the late 1950s with albums such as ''The Beat of My Heart'' and ''Basie Swings, Bennett Sings''. In 1962, Bennett recorded his signature song, "I Left My ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony (album)
''Tony'' is a 1957 Columbia US album (CL938) and Philips UK album (BBL 7138) re-titled "''Tony Bennett Showcase''", by singer Tony Bennett It reached number 14 on the Billboard album chart in 1957. Track listing #" It Had to Be You" ( Isham Jones, Gus Kahn) - 2:58 #" You Can Depend on Me" (Charlie Carpenter, Louis Dunlap, Earl Hines) - 2:14 #"I'm Just a Lucky So-and-So" (Mack David, Duke Ellington) - 3:29 #"Taking a Chance on Love" (Vernon Duke, Ted Fetter, John Latouche) - 2:09 #"These Foolish Things" (Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey) - 3:28 #"I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby" (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) - 2:37 #" Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (Al Dubin, Harry Warren) - 2:32 #" I'll Be Seeing You" ( Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal) - 2:48 #"Always" (Irving Berlin) - 2:59 #"Love Walked In" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) - 2:00 #"Lost in the Stars" (Maxwell Anderson, Kurt Weill) - 3:25 #"Without a Song" (Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose, Vincent Youmans) - 2:48 ''Tracks reco ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Up Above My Head
"Up Above My Head" is a gospel song of traditional origin, first recorded in 1941 (as "Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air") by The Southern Sons, a vocal group formed by William Langford of the Golden Gate Quartet. In the version that is now the best-known, it was recorded in 1947 by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight as a duo. Background The spiritual "Over My Head", apparently dating from the 19th century but of unknown authorship, contains many of the same lines as "Up Above My Head" – "Over my head / I hear music in the air../ There must be a God somewhere" – and may be presumed to be its origin. Civil rights leader Bernice Johnson Reagon changed the traditional words of the song in 1961, to "Over my head / I see freedom in the air...". In 1995, the National Association for Music Education (then known as the Music Educators National Conference) published a list of songs that "every American should know", which included "Over My Head". Sister Rosetta Thar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moonlight Gambler
"Moonlight Gambler" is a song written by Bob Hilliard and Phil Springer and performed by Frankie Laine featuring Ray Conniff and His Orchestra. It reached #3 on the U.S. pop chart and #13 on the UK Singles chart in 1957. The single ranked #32 on ''Billboard's'' Year-End top 50 singles of 1957. The song begins with a spoken recitation by Laine saying: "You can gamble for matchsticks,/ You can gamble for Gold,/ The stakes may be heavy or small,/ But, if you haven't gambled for love and lost,/ Then you haven't gambled at all"/ Which is repeated when sung in the Bridge section of the song. Laine's version also features a whistler and a clip clopping sound. Other versions *Gene Barry released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1962 single "Red Silk Stockings and Green Perfume". *Winifred Atwell Una Winifred Atwell (27 February or 27 April 1910 or 1914There is some uncertainty over her date and year of birth. Many sources suggest 27 February 1914, but there is a stron ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Hanging Tree (Marty Robbins Song)
The Hanging Tree is a western ballad from the 1959 movie '' The Hanging Tree''. It was scored by Max Steiner and written by Mack David and Jerry Livingston, who received nominations for the Laurel Awards and the Academy Awards in 1960. The text is a short reference to the film's story. Marty Robbins recording "The Hanging Tree" was performed by Marty Robbins in the film's opening credits. It was featured on the 1999 CD reissue of Robbins' album, ''Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs''. "The Hanging Tree" peaked at number 15 on the US, Hot C&W Sides chart. Crossing over to the US, Hot 100, it peaked at number 38. Accolades *Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Cover versions *Frankie Laine Frankie Laine (born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio; March 30, 1913 – February 6, 2007) was an American Singing, singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned nearly 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon danc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A White Sport Coat
"A White Sport Coat" is a 1957 country and western song with words and music both written by Marty Robbins. It was recorded on January 25, 1957, and released on the Columbia Records label, over a month later, on March 4. The arranger and recording session conductor was Ray Conniff, an in-house conductor/arranger at Columbia. Robbins had demanded to have Conniff oversee the recording after his earlier hit, "Singing the Blues", had been quickly eclipsed on the charts by Guy Mitchell's cover version, which was scored and conducted by Conniff in October 1956. The song reached no. 1 on the US country chart, becoming Marty Robbins' third No. 1 record. It reached no. 2 on the ''Billboard'' pop chart, Whitburn, Joel (2004). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 532. and no. 1 in the Australian music charts. Background Robbins recalled writing "A White Sport Coat" in approximately twenty minutes, while being transported in a standard automobile. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
It's Not For Me To Say
"It's Not for Me to Say" is a 1957 popular song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. It was written for the 1957 movie ''Lizzie'' (starring Eleanor Parker), and was sung by Johnny Mathis in the film. Mathis' recording of the song, arranged by Ray Conniff, was the most successful version, reaching number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Top 100 singles chart. In Canada, the song was number two for seven weeks (June 24 - August 5), kept out of number one for six of those weeks by Elvis Presley's (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear. Other film appearances *1987 ''Tin Men'' - sung by Johnny Mathis. *1988 ''Everybody's All-American'' - the Johnny Mathis version is heard. *1990 ''Goodfellas'' - performed by Johnny Mathis. (The double date; Karen is introduced, and ignored by Henry) *2007 ''Zodiac'' - sung by Johnny Mathis. *2013 ''A Case of You'' - performed by Johnny Mathis. *2014 ''Every Secret Thing'' - performed by Carolyn Leonhart Carolyn Leonhart (born July 10, 1971) is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chances Are (song)
"Chances Are" is a popular song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. It was published in 1957. Chart performance The song was one of many compositions by the Stillman-Allen team that were chart hits in the 1950s. It was listed on ''Billboard''s "Most Played by Jockeys" survey for Johnny Mathis, charting in 1957, and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998. The song reached No. 4 on ''Billboard''s Best Sellers in Stores survey, along with its flip "The Twelfth of Never", which Mathis initially disliked. The song, released on both 45 RPM and 78 RPM formats, was also included on the 1958 Mathis compilation '' Johnny's Greatest Hits''. The album was certified a gold record on June 5, 1959. In Canada, the song reached number 3 on the CHUM Charts. Later recordings *Mathis re-recorded the song in 1996 as a duet with Liza Minnelli for her album '' Gently''. Pop culture references * A portion of this song can be heard in ''Close Encounters of the Third ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Just Walkin' In The Rain
"Just Walkin' in the Rain" is a popular song. It was written in 1952 by Johnny Bragg and Robert Riley, two prisoners at Tennessee State Prison in Nashville, after a comment made by Bragg as the pair crossed the courtyard while it was raining. Bragg allegedly said, "Here we are just walking in the rain, and wondering what the girls are doing." Riley suggested that this would make a good basis for a song, and within a few minutes, Bragg had composed two verses. However, because Bragg was unable to read and write, he asked Riley to write the lyrics down in exchange for being credited as one of the song's writers. Bragg and his band, the Prisonaires, later recorded the song for Sun Records and it became a hit on the US ''Billboard'' R&B chart in 1953. However, the best-known version of the song was recorded by Johnnie Ray on July 16, 1956 on the label Columbia Records; it reached No. 2 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for seven weeks. It became a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yes Tonight Josephine
"Yes Tonight Josephine" was a popular music song from 1957. It was written by Winfield Scott and Dorothy Goodman, and was a hit single for Johnnie Ray. Chart performance Ray's recording was produced by Mitch Miller, and in the US, peaked at number 12 on the Most Played by Jockeys chart. Outside the US, "Yes Tonight Josephine" gave Ray his third and final number 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart. The single first entered the UK Singles Chart on 10 May 1957, and peaked at number 1 for three weeks in June. The original record was only available as a 78rpm disc. Altogether it spent 16 weeks on the chart A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent tabu .... Cover versions *A cover version by British rockabilly revival band The Jets peaked at number 25 in the UK Singles Chart in 1981. R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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