Jimmie Crane (1910–1998; born Loreto Domenic Fraieli) was an American songwriter and business owner from Providence, Rhode Island. He is known for composing songs performed by

Glenn Miller and his Orchestra Glenn Miller and His Orchestra was an American Swing music, swing big band, dance band formed by Glenn Miller in 1938. Arranged around a clarinet and tenor saxophone playing melody, and three other saxophones playing harmony, the band became th ...

Liberace Władziu Valentino Liberace (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) was an American pianist, singer, and actor. A child prodigy born in Wisconsin to parents of Italian and Polish origin, he enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, recordi ...

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

, and

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

Biography

Crane was born on August 1, 1910, as Loreto Fraieli. Crane's career as a songwriter began when "It's Great To Be An American," a song written by Crane and Ray Muffs became part of Glenn Miller and his Orchestra's repertoire in 1941. In the late 1940s, Crane met songwriter

Al Jacobs Adolph Jacobs, later known as Al Jacobs (April 15, 1939 – July 23, 2014), was an American guitar player, best known as an original member of The Coasters. Biography Born Adolf Jacobs in Pineland, Sabine County, Texas, he played guitar with Vern ...

, and they became a songwriting team. Their songs began to gain popularity with Tommy Mara's recording "I'll Try" and "Bella Mia," with "Bella Mia" being their first charting song in 1953. In 1954, their popular song "

If I Give My Heart to You "If I Give My Heart to You" is a popular song written by Jimmy Brewster (Milt Gabler), Jimmie Crane, and Al Jacobs. The most popular versions of the song were recorded by Doris Day and by Denise Lor; both charted in 1954. The recording by Do ...

", written with

Milt Gabler Milton Gabler (May 20, 1911 – July 20, 2001) was an American record producer, responsible for many innovations in the recording industry of the 20th century. These included being the first person to deal in record reissues, the first to sel ...

, was recorded by

Connee Boswell Constance Foore "Connie" Boswell (December 3, 1907 – October 11, 1976) was an American vocalist born in Kansas City but raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. With sisters Martha and Helvetia "Vet", she performed in the 1920s and 1930s as the trio ...

Denise Lor Denise Lor (born Denise Jeanne Briault; May 3, 1929 – September 27, 2015) was an American popular singer and actress. She was a featured artist on ''The Garry Moore Show''. In 1951, she appeared in the short-lived variety show '' Seven at Elev ...

and

followed with their own renditions that year. The song would later be recorded by

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

Kitty Kallen Kitty Kallen (born Katie Kallen; May 25, 1921 – January 7, 2016) was an American popular singer whose career spanned from the 1930s to the 1960s, to include the Swing era of the Big Band years, the post-World War II pop scene and the early ...

, and

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 f ...

, among others. That year, " I Need You Now", also written by Jimmie Crane and Al Jacobs, was recorded by

Eddie Fisher Edwin Jack Fisher (August 10, 1928 – September 22, 2010) was an American singer and actor. He was one of the most popular artists during the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show, ''The Eddie Fisher Show''. Actress Eli ...

and reached #1 on the Billboard and Cash Box charts on November 3, 1954. The song was also featured on

Your Hit Parade ''Your Hit Parade'' was an American radio and television music program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1953 on radio, and seen from 1950 to 1959 on television. It was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. During its 24-year r ...

. Crane and Jacobs' song " Hurt" was first recorded by Roy Hamilton in 1954 and gained popularity on the R&B Charts. The song would be covered most popularly by

Timi Yuro Rosemary Victoria Yuro (August 4, 1940 – March 30, 2004), known professionally as Timi Yuro, was an American singer-songwriter. Sometimes called "the little girl with the big voice," she is considered to be one of the first blue-eyed soul st ...

and enter the Billboard Top 100.

covered "Hurt" shortly before his death. Among others,

Bobby Vinton Stanley Robert "Bobby" Vinton (born April 16, 1935) is a American former singer and occasional actor, who also hosted his own self-titled TV show in the late 1970s. As a teen idol, he became known as "The Polish Prince", as his music paid trib ...

Peabo Bryson Robert Peapo "Peabo" Bryson (born April 13, 1951) is an American singer and songwriter. He is known for singing soul ballads (often as a duet with female singers) including the 1983 hit "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" with Roberta Flack. Bryson ...

, and

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Thin ...

recorded versions of the song. During his career as a songwriter, Crane also started and managed a jewelry company, Colonial Novelty, in Providence, Rhode Island. Crane was convicted of federal income tax evasion involving Colonial Novelty in 1976. Crane continued writing music throughout his life. He died in 1998.

Awards

* 1982 - Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame *1987 - ASCAP Most Performed Country Songs"Country: ASCAP Toasts Loggins, MCA, & Others at Awards." ''Billboard (Archive: 1963-2000)'', vol. 99, no. 43, Oct 24, 1987, pp. 43-43, 116. . * 2013 - Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame

Selected discography

This table is based largely on the discography compiled from "The Jimmie Crane Songography" written by Alan "Big Al" Pavlow and Rick Bellaire in honor of Jimmie Crane's 2013 induction into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fam

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crane, Jimmie Songwriters from Rhode Island Musicians from Providence, Rhode Island 1910 births 1998 deaths