Donald Mills was the last surviving member of vocal group, the Mills Bothers who scored several hits over a career that lasted over 60 years. Starting in 1925, brothers Herbert, Harry, John Jr., and Donald performed as Four Boys and a Guitar, somewhat of a novelty group due to their young ages (11 to 15). By the early ’30s, the Mills Brothers were regularly performing on CBS Radio, singing Proctor & Gamble commercials. There long string of hits included “Paper Doll,” “Tiger Rag,” “Lazy River” and “Bye Bye Blackbird.” They recorded over 2200 songs! Donald Mills was 84 when he passed away following a lengthy illness on November 13, 1999.
Gaetano “Guy” Lombardo
June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1979
Guy Lombardo was an internationally famous band leader whose yearly New Year’s Eve shows were broadcast across the United States for many years. Lombardo’s music career began in 1924, and by the ’30s, he and his group were the most popular dance band in the country. He and his orchestra performed at New York’s famed Waldorf Astoria Hotel for three decades, and the radio and television broadcasts of their New Year’s Eve shows laid the foundation for New Year’s Eve broadcasts to come. In fact, it’s Lombardo’s version of “Auld Lang Syne” that is played in New York’s Times Square (and countless other locations) every year. Several sources have indicated that over the course of his career, Lombardo likely sold as many as 300 million records. Guy Lombardo continued to perform right up until the time of his death in 1979. He passed away at the age of 76.
Paul Mauriat was a French conductor and orchestra leader who is best remembered for his 1968 #1 single, “Love Is Blue.” It remained at the top of the U.S. singles chart for five weeks. Mauriat’s music is generally classified as easy listening. He came to prominence during the ’50s as musical director for Charles Aznavour and Maurice Chevalier. He scored several soundtracks and toured the world playing to adoring fans. He was 81 when he passed away on November 3, 2006.
Robert Goulet
November 26, 1933 – October 30, 2007
Robert Goulet was a popular American singer and actor who skyrocketed to fame when he was cast as a virtual unknown in the role of Sir Lancelot in the 1960 Broadway production of Camelot. He more than held his own opposite Julie Andrews and Richard Burton, earning himself a Tony as well as Grammy for Best New Artist in 1962. His recording of the show’s “If Ever I Would Leave You” was a hit and subsequently became his signature song. Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, Goulet continued to work in the theatre and was also a familiar face in film and on television. Though less visible in later years, he still occasionally made guest appearances on TV up until the final years of his life. Robert Goulet was 73 when he died of Pulmonary Fibrosis on October 30, 2007.
Xavier Cugat was a musician, singer, songwriter, band leader, cartoonist, and actor whose various careers ran some 65 years. Born in Spain, he moved with his family to Cuba where he was trained on the violin. In 1915, his family moved again, this time settling in New York City. His first band of note, the Gigolos, was a popular Tango band in New York. During the ’30s, Cugat became the leader of the house band at New York’s fames Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. It was around this time he got into acting, so he spent much of the next three decades flying back and forth between New York and Los Angeles to work at th hotel and make movies. He also did some time as the cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times. Cugat made several hit records during the ’40s, most of them popular Latin dance tunes of the day. Xavier Cugat died of heart failure at the age of 90.
The great Richard Harris was an actor’s actor who was famous for his roles in such films as Camelot, A Man Called Horse, and more recently, Unforgiven and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Harris also had a recording career that included the 1968 album, A Tramp Shining, which yielded a #2 pop single, Jimmy Webb’s “MacArthur Park.” Richard Harris was 72 years old when he died of Hodgkin’s Disease on October 25, 2002.
Maxene Andrews, along with her two younger sisters, LaVerne and Patty were better known as the Andrews Sisters, the best selling female vocal group in pop music history. Over their career, the Andrews’ recorded over 600 sides that sold over 75 million copies in all. They had 113 charted hits, 46 of which landing in the top 10, a feat that surpassed even Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Maxene died of heart attack on October 21, 1995.
Julie London (Born Gayle Peck)
September 26, 1926 – October 18, 2000
Although Julie London was a successful torch singer during the ’50s, she is perhaps best remembered for her role as nurse Dixie McCall alongside her husband, Bobby Troup on the popular ’70s television drama, Emergency!. London’s name, or perhaps body, first became familiar to American G.I.s thanks to her pin-up photos during WWII. At the time, she was married to her first husband, actor Jack Webb of Dragnet fame. She began singing professionally in the mid ’50s, recording over thirty albums over the course of her career. No less than Billboard magazine named her the most popular female vocalist in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Her most popular record “Cry Me a River” which was produced by Troup sold over a million copies. London reached a whole new generation of music fans in her later years thanks to “Cry Me a River’s” appearance in the 2000 film, Passion of Mind, and again in the 2006 blockbuster, V is For Vendetta. Her recordings were also prominently featured in Six Feet Under and a 2008 British Airways ad campaign. Julie London was beloved for her sexy smoky voice that happened to be a by-product of years of heavy smoking that ultimately lead to her poor health in later years and death at the age of 74.
Teresa Brewer (Born Theresa Breuer)
May 7, 1931 – October 17, 2007
With Liberace
With some 600 recorded songs to her name, Teresa Brewer was one of America’s most prolific singers of the 1950s. Brewer began singing and dancing as early as two years old on various radio amateur shows. She was well at it when at just 12 years old, she decided to “retire” in order to go back to concentrate on her schooling. She released her first of many popular records in 1949. Over the course of her 20+ year career, she recorded with the likes of Liberace, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Dizzy Gillespie. Teresa Brewer died of a rare degenerative brain disease at the age of 76.
Cole Porter was on of America’s most beloved composers and lyricists. His popular scores include Kiss Me Kate and Anthing Goes while his iconic catalog of songs includes “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Night and Day,” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.” The greatest stars in the world have performed his songs on stage and screen. That list includes Frank Sinatra, Ethel Merman, Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. Although he suffered many ailments through the latter part of his life, it was kidney failure that finally took his life at the age of 73.
Harry “Bing” Crosby
May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977
Bing Crosby was one of America’s most beloved entertainers, with a career that spanned over fifty years. As a pop singer, Crosby was a direct influence on the likes of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and Dean Martin. He was so beloved, that in 1948 it was estimated that his songs made up more than half of the 80,000 weekly hours devoted to music on radio. He was also instrumental in the growth of the music industry itself. In the late ’40s, he heavily invested in Ampex, helping it develop the first commercial reel-to-reel recorder in North America. As for his music, he is credited with over 1700 recordings, almost 400 of which being top 30 hits, with over 40 making it to #1. It is rightfully assumed that if sales data was collected more accurately during the early part of his career, those numbers would be much higher. While vacatoining in Spain, Bing Crosby died of a massive heart attack while playing golf. He was 74 years old.
Mario Lanza (Born Alfred Cocozza)
January 31, 1921 – October 7, 1959
Mario Lanza was an American tenor vocalist and actor who was a household name during the ’40s and ’50s. He was arguably the biggest opera draw of his generation as well as a direct influence on Luciano Pavorotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras. He transitioned to film in the late ’40s, starring in The Midnight Kiss, The Toast of New Orleans and The Great Caruso. Lanza was the first artist ever signed to the RCA Victor label as well as the first to two and a half million albums. Ailing in his later years, Mario Lanza died of a pulonary embolism at just 38 years of age.
Nelson Riddle was an orchestra bandleader who was hired by Capitol Records in 1950 to arrange for their stable of the era’s great vocalists. While at Capitol, Riddle worked with Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin and Keely Smith. During the ’60s and ’70s, Riddle worked primarily in film and television, arranging and scoring the Batman series, and such films as Ocean’s Eleven, Robin and the Seven Hoods, and The Great Gatsby, for which he won an academy award. During the ’80s, Riddle worked with Linda Ronstadt’s popular and critically acclaimed series of pop standard albums. His work as arranger, earned him two Grammys. Nelson Riddle died of liver ailments in 1985. He was 64 years old.
Orvon “Gene” Autry
September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998
Known since the 1930s as the Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry was country singer-songwriter and cowboy actor. Signing to Columbia Records in 1929, Autry began releasing what were called “hillbilly” music in the early ’30s. Over the course of his career, Autry made over 600 records, roughly half either co-written, or written by himself. Besides his signature song, “Back in the Saddle Again,” Autry best remembered for “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and the self-written, “Here Comes Santa Claus.” Besides making nearly 100 films, Autry successfully transitioned to television during the ’40s, starring in his own show on CBS. Autry also owned several California radio stations as well as Major League Baseball team, the California Angels. Forbes Magazine included him in annual list of the 400 richest Americans for many years. Gene Autry died of lymphoma at the age of 91.
Mary Ford (Born Iris Summers)
July 7, 1924 – September 30, 1977
Mary Ford was the wife and musical partner of Les Paul. She sang and played guitar when performing and recording with her famous husband. They were extremely popular in the early ’50s, scoring sixteen top-10 hits and selling over six million records in 1951 alone. Ford married Paul in 1949 and the two almost immediately launched a radio show on NBC. The signed to Capitol records at around the same time and began releasing a string of hits. Their popularity began to wane in the late ’50s, and the two divorced, thus ending their proffessional relationship in 1964. Ford spent the latter years of her life performing occasionally with her sisters and brother. She died of complications from diabetes on September 30, 1977. She was 53 years old.
Most agree that Irving Berlin was one of the greatest songwriters in history. A very prolific writer, he reportedly wrote over 1500 songs over a career that spanned some 60 years. Many of his songs became standards loved the world over. That list includes “White Christmas,” “God Bless America,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” and “Puttin’ On The Ritz.” He also wrote the scores to nearly 40 Broadway shows and major Hollywood films, earning him eight Oscar nominations. Irving Berlin died in his sleep at the age of 101.
Connie Haines (Born Yvonne JaMais)
January 20, 1921 – September 22, 2008
With Frank Sinatra
Connie Haines was a prolific big band singer whose voice could be heard on over 200 recordings. She was just four years old when she began performing publicly, and by the time she reached her early teens, she was a regular on local radio programs. Throughout her career, Haines performed or recorded with Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, Harry James and Frankie Laine. She died of myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease, at the age of 87.
Arthur Ferrante
September 7, 1921 – September 19, 2009
L-R: Arthur Ferrante, Louis Teicher
Arthur Ferrante and Lou Teicher performed as Ferrante & Teicher, a very popular piano duo who scored many hits during the ’60s and ’70s. Many of their songs were recorded for popular films of the day. Their hits included “Exodus,” “Theme From The Apartment,” and “Midnight Cowboy.” Ferrante & Teicher retired in 1989 and Arthur Ferrante passed away on September 19, 2009.
Louis Prima was a popular jazz trumpeter, singer, and band leader who came to prominence performing and recording with his then-wife, Keely Smith. Thanks to his big personality on stage, Prima and his jazz combo became a popular Las Vegas draw during the ’50s. Prima and Smith won a Grammy in 1959 for their single, “That Old Black Magic.” His widest exposure came thanks to the 1967 Disney film, Jungle Book. In it, Prima voiced the popular orangutan, King Louie and sang the hit song, “I Wanna Be Like You.” In 1975, Prima’s doctors discovered a stem brain tumor. During the surgery to remove it, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, putting him into a coma. He passed away on August 24, 1978 at the age of 67.
David Rose was a songwriter and composer best known for writing “The Stripper.” Throughout his career, Rose wrote music for such television programs as Bonanza, the Red Skelton Show and Little House On The Prairie. His television work earned him four Emmys. He had a three-year marriage to singer Martha Raye and later, another three-year marriage to Judy Garland. Written in 1958, “The Stripper” didn’t become a hit until it was featured in the 1962 film, Gypsy. Instantly recognizable song eventually became synonomous with the art of stripping. David Rose passed away at the age of 80.
Donald Mills was the last surviving member of vocal group, the Mills Bothers who scored several hits over a career that lasted over 60 years. Starting in 1925, brothers Herbert, Harry, John Jr., and Donald performed as Four Boys and a Guitar, somewhat of a novelty group due to their young ages (11 to 15). By the early ’30s, the Mills Brothers were regularly performing on CBS Radio, singing Proctor & Gamble commercials. There long string of hits included “Paper Doll,” “Tiger Rag,” “Lazy River” and “Bye Bye Blackbird.” They recorded over 2200 songs! Donald Mills was 84 when he passed away following a lengthy illness on November 13, 1999.
Paul Mauriat was a French conductor and orchestra leader who is best remembered for his 1968 #1 single, “Love Is Blue.” It remained at the top of the U.S. singles chart for five weeks. Mauriat’s music is generally classified as easy listening. He came to prominence during the ’50s as musical director for Charles Aznavour and Maurice Chevalier. He scored several soundtracks and toured the world playing to adoring fans. He was 81 when he passed away on November 3, 2006.
Xavier Cugat was a musician, singer, songwriter, band leader, cartoonist, and actor whose various careers ran some 65 years. Born in Spain, he moved with his family to Cuba where he was trained on the violin. In 1915, his family moved again, this time settling in New York City. His first band of note, the Gigolos, was a popular Tango band in New York. During the ’30s, Cugat became the leader of the house band at New York’s fames Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. It was around this time he got into acting, so he spent much of the next three decades flying back and forth between New York and Los Angeles to work at th hotel and make movies. He also did some time as the cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times. Cugat made several hit records during the ’40s, most of them popular Latin dance tunes of the day. Xavier Cugat died of heart failure at the age of 90.
Although Julie London was a successful torch singer during the ’50s, she is perhaps best remembered for her role as nurse Dixie McCall alongside her husband, 
Mary Ford was the wife and musical partner of 
Most agree that Irving Berlin was one of the greatest songwriters in history. A very prolific writer, he reportedly wrote over 1500 songs over a career that spanned some 60 years. Many of his songs became standards loved the world over. That list includes “White Christmas,” “God Bless America,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” and “Puttin’ On The Ritz.” He also wrote the scores to nearly 40 Broadway shows and major Hollywood films, earning him eight Oscar nominations. Irving Berlin died in his sleep at the age of 101.
David Rose was a songwriter and composer best known for writing “The Stripper.” Throughout his career, Rose wrote music for such television programs as Bonanza, the Red Skelton Show and Little House On The Prairie. His television work earned him four Emmys. He had a three-year marriage to singer Martha Raye and later, another three-year marriage to 