Old Time Favorite Singers and their Strange Life and Careers

During my growing up years, my parents are fascinated with old time favorite singers like Frank Sinatra, Jerry Vale, Vic Damone, Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis, Matt Monroe, Connie Francis, Perry Como, Nat King Cole, and many more. And now I was influenced by my parents for the love of music, especially the music from the 1950′s to the present. And because of this fascination, I was so curious to know the singers behind these old songs, and often asked myself, where are they now? They may be forgotten but their songs remain in our heart.

1) Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra, was born on December 12,1915 from an Italian descendant parents, migrated in the United States. His father was the captain of the Hoboken Fire Department in New Jersey, while his mother was arrested and convicted twice for illegal abortions as her business. Frank Sinatra loves music, although he learned how to sing by his ears, he never learned how to read music. Sinatra became famous for his hits of My Way, New York,New York, Strangers in the Night, From Here to Eternity, and many more hit albums. He is nicknamed as Mr Blue Eyes. He have three children from his first marriage to Nancy Barbato, Nancy, Frank Jr, and Tina. He was married three times with known celebrities, Ava Gardner (married 1951 to 1957), Mia Farrow (married 1966 -1968) and Barbara Marx, married in 1976 until his final death in 1995. Frank Sinatra was allegedly involved with the American organized crime or American-Italian Mafia, however they found no evidence. He was allegedly involve with Carlo Bambino (a Sicilian mobster and big boss of American Mafia. He died of heart attack at the age of 74), Sam Giancana (Sicilian-American mobster and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1957 t 1966, famous for his name as Momo, Mooney, Sam the cigar or Sammy. He was killed in his home on June 19,1975) and Lucky Luciano, (Italian-American mobster, and first official boss of the modern Genovese Mafia crime family. He died of heart attack on January 26, 1962). Sinatra admitted in his interview that he is suffering from manic depression. In his later years, Sinatra showed sign of dementia, and suffered his first heart attack in 1997. He died at the age of 82 on May 19, 1998 after the second heart attack.

2)  Perry Como

Pierino Ronald “Perry” Como  was born on May 18, 1912 and died on May 12, 2001, he is an American TV personality and singer, and his career spanned for a half century and sold millions of records. Mr C, as he was fondly called, was devastated by wife’s death for 65 years, on August 12, 1998 at age 84. Perry Como undergo a gall bladder cancer surgery  in 1993. On May 12, 2001, Perry Como died in his sleep, six days before he turned 89. His famous hits are Arrivederci Roma, And I Love You So, Ave Maria, A-You’re Adorable, Because, Can’t Help Falling In Love, Carnival, Chincherinchee, Days of Wine And Roses, and many more hits.

3) Sammy Davis, Jr.

Samuel George “Sammy” Davis Jr. was born December 8, 1925 and died May 16, 1990, an American actor, comedian and singer, and member of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack. He is best known for impersonating other celebrities and actors. He was a good dancer and singer, and first performed in vaudeville at age 3 in 1933, with his African-American father and uncle. His mother was a tap dancer, claimed to be Puerto Rican, but records shows she was from a Cuban descendant, but Davis denied being of Cuban descendant because that time the anti-Cuban might affect his record sales. On November 19,1954, he lost his left eye from a car accident and was later replaced with a glass-eye, and almost lost his life from the accident. Davis suffered from racial discrimination all his life, In 1950s he met and had an affair with actress Kim Novak, that made the Columbia Studio’s head, Harry Cohn, and made an arrangement with mobster, Johnny Roselli, to scare Davis and stopped the affair with Novak. He was “kidnapped for few hours” and set him to a black dancer Loray White in 1958. Then again, in 1960, another controversy rose up when he married white Swedish, actress May Britt, because those time mixed racial marriages in the 31 US States is not allowed by the law. They had a daughter and two adopted sons. Davis became busy with his career and had a divorce in 1968. He was involved to a singer, Lola Falana, but that year he was dating a dancer, Altovese Gore, a dancer and married her on May 11,,1970, they adopt a child, and married until Davis death in 1990. Sammy Davis died of throat cancer on May 16,1990 at the age of 64.

Dean Martin

Dino Paul Crocetti, popularly known as Dean Martin, born June 7,1917 and died on December 25, 1995, an American television and movie actor, singer, comedian. His hits includes That’s Amore, Everybody Love Somebody, Volare, Sway, memories are Made of This and many more, thus he was called the “King of Cool”, and also a member of the Rat Pack. Martin was also linked to the Mafia, the Chicago Outfit headed by Tony Accardo and Sam Giancana. Martin was paired to another American actor, comedian Jerry Lewis from 1946 to 1956. Martin was married three times, and had 4 children from the first marriage and three children from the second marriage, and none from the third marriage. His daughter Gina Caroline was married to the Beach Boys member, Carl Wilson.  Dean Martin died of lung cancer from his emphysema complications, and died in the morning of December 25, 1995.

Jerry Lewis

Joseph Lovitch or Jerry Lewis, was born on March 16, 1926, an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter, and film director, and best known for his slapstick comedy film. He started his career at the age of five, with his father who was an entertainer using the stage name of  Danny Lewis. In 1946 he was paired to Dean Martin until 1956 and formed the famous comedy team Martin and Lewis. He was married twice and had six sons (one is adopted) and one adopted daughter. His eldest son Gary Lewis, became popular with his bands, Gary Lewis and the Playboys in the 1960s. Gary Lewis suffered from various illnesses and pain killer addiction from back injury from an accident fall while performing in Sands Hotel , Las Vegas. He head heart attack, prostate cancer, Type 1 diabetes, pulmonary fibrosis. He was confined for five months in Australia because of viral meningitis during his Australian tour.

Nat King Cole

Nathaniel Adams Coles famously known as Nat King Cole, was born on March 17, 1919 and died on  February 15, 1965 of lung cancer at the age of 45. He was a heavy smoker of Kool Menthol and believed that 3 packs of cigarette a day enhance his voice more. Coles first marriage was with Nadine Robinson but ended in divorce on March 28, 1948, and the second marriage was to Maria Hawkins Ellington, also a singer, and had five children; Natalie ( became a singer born in 1950), Carole, adopted daughter (Maria’s niece born 1944 and died on 2009 at age 64 because of lung cancer), Nat Kelly Cole, adopted son (born 1959 and died of AIDS in 1995 at age 36), and twin daughters born in 1961, Casey and Timolin Cole. Nat King Cole’s famous hits includes Smile, Pretend, Blossom Fell, and his single Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup ” became number 7 on the Billboard chart. Love is the Thing was arranged by Jenkins, which became number one hit on the album charts in April 1957. And after his death, daughter Natalie mixed into a new duet version her father’s 1961 rendition of Unforgettable  as part of a tribute album for her father.

4) Jerry Vale

Gennaro Luigi Vitaliano, but more known as Jerry Vale, born July 8, 1932, an American singer. During his High school, he worked as a shoe shine boy in a barbershop, to earn extra money. While shinning the customer’s shoes, he usually sing. The barbershop owner loves his voice and he paid for his music lessons. His hits include Be my Love, Till The End Of Time, There Goes My Heart, It’s Magic, The Impossible Dream, Tou Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, We’ve Only Just Begun, Alone Again (Naturally), Love is a Many Splendor Thing, What A Wonderful World, and many more hits. Jerry Vale is now 82 years old.

5) Vic Damone

Diahann Carroll, Vic Damone’s Ex-wife

Vito Rocco Farinola, better known as Vic Damone, born on June 12, 1928 is an American singer entertainer,In April 1947 he joined the Arthur Godfrey’s Talent’s Scout, talent’s search and won. He became a regular singer of the Godfrey’s Show until he signed for a recording contract in a recording company. His greatest hits and marked his name includes My Fair Lady, Again, I Have But One Heart, Vagabond Shoes, You’re Breaking My Heart, If, Ebb Tide, Eternally, What Kind Of Fool Am I, and many more hit songs. He was married five times and had four divorce, had one son from first marriage, 3 daughters in his second marriage. married Diahann Carroll, also a singer and a breast cancer survivor, and his last marriage was Rena Rowan up to the present.

6) Bing Crosby

Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby was born May 3, 1903, an American actor and singer with his bass-baritone voice as his trademark, that made him best selling records, followed by Perry Como and Franks Sinatra. Crosby was first married to Dixie Lee, a singer and had 4 children Gary, their twins Dennis and Philip and Lindsay. Dixie died of ovarian cancer in 1952, and after her death Crosby married again and had 3 children. Crosby had an alcohol problem, and even told his son Gary to stay away from alcohol but he can smoke marijuana, until Crosby undergone a lung surgery because of heavy smoking. Crosby died of massive heart attack while playing golf on October 14, 1977 at the age of 74.

7) Johnny Mathis

John Royce “Johnny” Mathis born September 30, 1935, a popular American singer achieving gold and platinum records making 73 great hits in the Billboard Chart, sold 350 million over of records sales worldwide. This achievements was equaled only by two male singers, Frank Sinatra and Barry Manilow. Mathis’ hits includes Misty, A Certain Smile, It’s Not For Me To Say, Wonderful Wonderful, Chances Are, and many best singles and record hits. In 1982, according to US Magazine, Mathis quoted ‘ that the way of life he has grown was homosexuality’ but the article was later retracted. However in April 13, 2006, after 20 years of silence, Mathis revealed in an interview that ‘death threat in 1982′ kept his silence. Mathis has the love of sports, and in fact he is golfer making nine holes in one. He also had undergo treatment for his alcoholism and prescribed drug addiction.

8)  Matt Monroe

Terence Edward Parsons better known as Matt Monro was born December 1, 1930 and died on February 25, 1985, an English singer who became famous in the 1960′s international music entertainer. His 30 years career filled up the air with famous love songs, and loved all over Australia, Europe, America (North, South Central), Middle East, Africa, Hong Kong and the Philippines. He was called the “singing bus driver” (he was a bus driver , bus 27 bound from Highgate to Teddington. Winifred Atwell influenced him to push his career as a singer and was his mentor. He and his wife Mickie lived from her wages as a song plugger( a piano player employed by music stores) and his ads  royalties from jingle of a TV advertising for Camay soap. His second album, Portrait of My Love, made it number 3 in the UK Singles Chart, then followed by other hit songs; My Kind of Girl, (1962) Speak Softly Love, 1963 From Russia With Love (James Bond film theme), Born Free, Walk Away, Close To You, On Days Like These and many more hit songs that marked his name. On February 7, 1985, Matt Monroe died of liver cancer, at the age of 54, leaving her widow, Mickie and three children; Mitchell, Michele, and Matthew. Mitchell, a professional pilot, also died of cancer in 2004. He was married twice, first marriage to Iris in 1953, had a son named Mitchell, a pilot who also died from cancer in 2004. The second marriage is to Mickie Schuller from Berlin, they got married in 1959 until Monro’s death in 1985. They had two children, Michele and Matthew Frederick (aka Matt Monro Jr). Mickie died of bone cancer on February 25, 2010 at age 76 in England.

 Barry Manilow

Born, Barry Alan Pincus or  Barry Manilow born June 17, 1943 , an American songwiter and famous singer and producer known for his great hits, Copacabana, Mandy, Can’t Smile Without You, Could it Be Magic and hit record I Write This Song. Five of his hit songs album were on the charts best selling records , equaled to Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Johnny Mathis and Bruce Springsteen and being named Radio & Records number one Adult Contemporary artist, and  sold more than 80 million records worldwide.  His career began in 1970s. He head his facelift for sagging skin on July 29, 2003 and undergone a hip surgery in August 29, 2006 and December 12, 2011. In 1989, he revealed that he was expecting an invitation from his neighbor Ronald and Nancy Reagan, but he told US Magazine, that they complained the limit or restriction  from Manilow’s doing the thing of sunbathing in the nude.

Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong, an American jazz singer and trumpet player from New Orleans, Louisiana, famous for his deep voice and scat singing style (a vocalization using syllables and sounds instead of using the actual lyrics. He was married twice, the first marriage to Daisy Parker on March 19, 1918, and adopted Flora Armstrong 3 year old son, Clarence, after dying from delivery. She was the cousin of Louis Armstrong. Clarence is a mentally disabled child from a head injury in early childhood, and Louis took care of him for the rest of his life. Louis and Daisy Parker divorced and Louis married Lil Hardin, a jazz piano player, singer, composer, arranger and bandleader. Lil Hardin was a big influenced to Louis’ career. But due to some misunderstanding they separated. Louis Armstrong, also known as Pops or Satchmo and Satch, short for Satchelmouth or Dipper based on Dippermouth, these names was based on his unusual and strange skills of scat singing and use of facial muscles and lips to the mouthpiece of brass or woodwind instruments. On July 6, 1971, Louis Armstrong died of heart attack while asleep, at the age of 70 , a month before his actual 70th birthday.

Ray Charles

Ray Charles Robinson , born September 23, 1930, much known for Ray Charles, the pioneer in genre music, and American singer and pianist, he is goo for soul music, gospel, rhythm and blues, and blues style. Ray Charles was ranked number 10 100 Greatest Artists of All Times in 2004, and Billy Joel, comment was “this is not a Desecration to Elvis Presley, but he said that Ray Charles is more than important. At the age of five, Ray Charles was beginning to be blind and totally lost his sight at the age of seven due to Glaucoma. Ray Charles married two times, and had 12 children with nine different mothers. Ten of his twelve children were given $1 million each check, the two children did not come on 2002 of December. Charles admitted that he was suffering drug addiction since he was 16. He died of Hepatitis C and Liver disease due to alcoholism.,on June 10, 2004.

9) Neil Sedaka

Neil Sedaka was born on March 13, 1939, from a Sephardic Turkish_Jewish descent, Mac Sedacca and Eleanor Appel-Sedacca, a Polish-Russian Jewish descent. Neil is an American composer, arranger, pianist and singer, and his 55 years spanned career which made him still active into limelight. His best hit record selling includes The Diary, Oh Carol, You Mean Everything to Me, Run Samson Run, Calendar Girl, Little Devil, Stairway to Heaven, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, Breaking Up is Hard To Do, Next Door to an Angel and many more hits songs, that he had composed and rewritten for himself over 500 album and written songs for other artists. His composition is collaborated mostly by lyricist Phil Cody and Howard Greenfield, where they have written Where the Boys Are  tailored for Connie Francis, and became top 5 hit on the Billboard chart for  pop singles and Stupid Cupid.

10) Harry Belafonte

Harold George “Harry” Belafonte, Jr.was born on March 1, 1927, an American actor, singer, social activist, and a songwriter. He popularized the Caribbean style of songs, thus he was called King of Calypso, and became famous with his hit song The Banana Boat Song, with “day-O’, famous lyric line, and his Hava Nagila song. He married three times, and had two children in his first marriage and two with his second marriage.

Earl Grant

Earl Grant was born on January 20, 1931, and died in a car accident on  June 10, 1970, and Grant was an American organist, pianist, drummer and trumpet player and singer and became a popular entertainer in 1950s and 1960s.  He served in the army and was based in Fort Bliss, Texas. His first single, “The End” hit number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. In 1961, his first album, Ebb Tide also hit number 7 on Billboard 200 and gained Gold record. Other hit records are Swingin’ Gently from Beyond the Reef, At The End of the Rainbow, his signature song and many more albums. On June 10, 1970, Earl Grant died from a car accident at age 39 with his 17 year old cousin who died on the spot, when his car collided at Interstate 10 in Lordsburg, New Mexico.

11)  Pat Boone

Charles Eugene “Pat” Boone  was born on June 1, 1934, is an American actor, singer and writer, best known for his hit R&B hit songs, rhythm & blues,  and the second hit charts on the Billboard in the 1950′s. Boone married Shirley Lee Foley in 1953 at age 19 and had four daughters, Cheryl Lynn, Linda Lee, Debby or Deborah Ann (known for her hit song in 1977, “You Light Up My Light”, and Laura Gene. He is now active composing Gospel songs.

Andy Williams

Howard Andrew “Andy” Williams  was born on December 3, 1927, is an American singer, identified with his hit song Moon River who has recorded 18 Gold and three Platinum albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show from 1962 to 1971. Williams married Claudine Longet, a French born dancer, on December 15, 1961 and have three children: Noelle, Christian, and Robert . But their marriage did not lasts and they separated in 1975. However on March 21, 1976, Claudine Longet was accused of shooting her boyfriend, Vladimir Peter Sabich, Jr., an American Alpine Ski racer. According to reports, Longet accidentally shot her live-in boyfriend in the abdomen, and died shortly inside the ambulance while on the way to the hospital. Williams, assisted her through the courtroom each hearing sessions. Williams, an avid golfer. married the second time. On November 4, 2011, he was diagnosed bladder cancer according to reports, and is now having chemotherapy treatment. Andy Williams’ hits songs includes;Can’t Get Used to Losing You, Happy Heart, Where Do I Begin (1970 Love Story fil theme song),(1965)  Almost There, (1970) Can’t Help Falling In Love You, (1970 )Home Lovin’ Man,(1972) MacArthur Park and (1973) Solitaire, Music to Watch Girls By (1999 UK hits song), Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, It’s the Most Wonderful Year (1963′ big hit )and many more that marked his name.

Petula Clark

Petula Sally Olwen Clark or better known as  Petula Clark is an English singer born on November 15, 1932, also an actress and composer, with seven decades spanned career. She became famous with her hit songs, Downtown, Don’t Sleep On the Subway, My Love, I know a Place, Colour My World and A Sign of A Time. She have sold records for $68 million in her whole career. In 1955, she was linked to Joe “Mr Piano” Anderson, but because of her career the relation end up, but remained friends until Anderson’s death in 2004. In 1961, Clark married Wolff in Paris in a private ceremony, “to escape her father’s strictness”, and had two daughters and a son born in 1972. Clark is now living in Switzerland with her family.

12) Paul Anka

Paul Albert Anka, was born July 30, 1941, in Ottawa, Canada, is a  singer, songwriter, and actor. In the late 1950′s to 1960′s as a teen idol, with hit songs that made him very famous such as Diana, Lonely Boy, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, She’s A Lady and the Comme d’habitude, a French song but became the signature song of Frank Sinatra’s My Way, an English version. In 1990 Anka became naturalized American citizen. On February 16, 1963, Anka married a Lebanese model Anne De Zogheb, a daughter of a Lebanese diplomat Charles de Zogheb, and had five daughters, but divorced on September 28, 2000. Anka married his personal trainer, Anna Aberg, in Sardinia, Italy but divorced in 2010, with agreement of shared custody of Ethan, their only son.

Frankie Avalon

Frankie Avalon was born September 18, 1939,is an American actor, former teen idol, singer and playwright (writer of drama). Avalon married Kathryn Diebel on January 19, 1963 and had eight children. Diebel was a former beauty  contestant winner, and Avalon met her while playing cards at a friend’s house. He told his friend that Kay was the girl he was going to marry. He  performed on April 8, 2009 in American Idol.

Fabian

Fabiano Anthony Forte was born February 6, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a famouse American teen idol in 1950s to 1960s, better known as Fabian.  He became famous after performing several times on American Bandstand. The Billboard Hot 100 listing includes his eleven hit albums. His career ended in the late 1960′s when his contract ended with Marcucci, and made his career down because of the payola (illegal practice of payment in the music industry). He was rejected in the military service when he drafted, because of the doctor’s medical certificate, that Fabian if will join the army, can trigger his homosexual tendency. However, he was married three times, and his last and current wife, Andrea Patrick, a former model, turned entrepreneur and CEO/Owner of Patrick Talent Agency.

13) Cliff Richards

Harry Rodger Webb better known as Cliff Richard, was born October 14, 1940 in Lucknow, India, and in 1948, they moved back Tilbury, Essex, England after the India’s Independence. Richards was a famous British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist over his 53 years career. Richards earned 21 million record selling in the UK, bu not much in the US. His famous hit songs, Devil Woman and We Don’t talk Anymore became US 40 top singles. However, his record selling made it in other countries like Canada, South Africa, Northern Europe and Asia.  Queen Elizabeth ll, knighted Sir Cliff Richards, on October 25, 1995, and was the first rock star to be given the knight honor. Richard is a bachelor, he remained single because since his father died, he took care of his sisters and mother who was suffering from dementia, until her 2007 death at the age of 87. Delia Wicks, an Australian dancer, was his first ‘serious girlfriend’ which he dated for the past 18 months,  died in April 2010 from cancer. He also reveled that once, he planned to marry Jackie Irving, a dancer and Sue Barker, a former tennis player and when asked about homosexuality, he denied about it, and remained single

14) Elvis Presley

Elvis Aaron Presley was born January 8, 1935, and became the most popular 20th Century American singer, and referred to as The King or  King of Rock and Roll or widely famous for Elvis. He first made his debut film, Love Me Tender in 1956. On August 16, 1977, Elvis died suddenly from prescribed drug abused and compromised his health at the age of 42. Presley was inducted as Private in the US Army, while his career was booming. He then met Priscilla Beaulieu, 14 year old, and got married after seven and a half years of courtship. On March 2, 1960 Elvis returned to the United States, and he was given honorary discharge with a Sergeant rank on March 5. His famous song includes, It’s Now or Never, Wooden Heart, Blue Hawaii, Are You Lonesome Tonight, and many fore famous hits. In 1971, Elvis had an affair with Joyce Bova, which ended in pregnancy and abortion, affecting Elvis career and married life. On February 23, 1972, Elvis and Priscilla separated after she admitted her relationship with a karate instructor, Mike Stone, and their divorce took effect on October 9, 1973. Presley’s new girlfriend, a songwriter, Linda Thompson, moved in at Presley’s house. But the divorce with Priscilla, made Elvis affected and not well, having Demerol addiction leaving him semi-comatose, and barbiturates overdosed causing him three days in coma, and his health is failing. He was suffering from various illnesses, glaucoma, liver damaged, high blood pressure, enlarged colon  which was aggravated by misused of prescribed drugs. On august 16, 1977, he was found unconscious in his bathroom and officially announced his death at 3:30 pm.

15) Engelbert Humperdinck

Arnold George Dorsey, was born on May 2, 1936, but he is much known as Engelbert Humperdinck, is an Anglo-Indian and was born in Madras, India. His mother is of an Indian heritage and his father was in a British Army, and later moved to England. Humperdinck was a pop singer, who became famous with his hit songs, Release Me, The Last Waltz, A Man Without Love and After the Lovin’ and his first single released, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again. Arnold Dorsey worked on local night clubs and became ill with tuberculosis, and in 1958, after his recovery from tuberculosis, he returned to his career using the name Engelbert Humperdinck, and his first single was released, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again. He married Patricia Healey, a show jumper or open jumping (English riding Equestrian) in 1964, and had four children and nine grandchildren. On March 1, 2012, Humperdinck UK for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 held in Bacu, Azerbaijan making him the oldest contestant at the age of 76, and was on the 25th place with 12 points.

16) Tom Jones

Sir Thomas John Woodward otherwise known as Tom Jones, was born on June 7, 1940 is a Welsh singer, in the year 1960s. His hit songs made him popular with his R&B, pop rock, gospel, soul, country song and dance style and selling records of over one million sales. His 36 Top 40′s hit songs include; Delilah, It’s Not Unusual, Green green Grass of Home, Kiss, She’s a Lady, And What’s New Pussycat. In 1999 he was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth ll and was named “Knight of Bachelor”. Tom Jones married his high school girlfriend, Melinda Trenchard at the age of both 16, and expecting their first child, and named him Mark and remained married to Melinda since 1957. He once turned black and blue, resulting from beating from wife Melinda, when she learned of his infidelities, but in spite of that, he never hit her back. But still he was romantically involved with other girls like Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Marjorie Wallace a former Miss World, and with “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark” star (Cassandra Peterson, whom she claims lost her virginity to Jones). On October 1987, he was linked again to Katherine Berkery, resulting to pregnancy and had a son but Jones denied about it. The DNA result proved that Jones was the father of Jonathan Berkery, but he later revealed his fraternity on 2008, however he did not make any move to meet his son. Jones had two sons with Melinda, and have two grandchildren.

17) Connie Francis

Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero better known as Connie Francis, was born on December 12, 1938, and was of Italian heritage and an American singer and became the top chart singer on 1950s to 1960s, but she still active as of November 2011. In 1957, her first single made it to the chart, “The Majesty of Love”. On November 8, 1974, Connie Francis was raped at the Jericho Turnpike Howard Johnson’s Lodge, and the rapist thrown a heavy mattress on her face and caused suffocation and nearly killed her. She sued the lodge owner, but the rapist was never found. Then in 1981, her brother, George Franconero, Jr was killed by the Mafia hired killer. In her early career she met Bobby Darin, a songwriter an up-coming singer, and developed a romantic affair, but ended because of Connie’s strict Italian father, who meddled the affair with gunpoint. Francis was quoted ‘by not marrying Bobby Darin was the biggest mistake in her life’.

Bobby Darin

Walden Robert Cassotto better known as Bobby Darin, was born May 14, 1936. He became famous with his signature songs Mack the Knife, Beyond the Sea, Splish Splash, and Dream Lover. He was introduced to Connie Francis, and he was the songwriter and was also romantically linked, but Francis’ father was not in favor of the relation and they split up. In 1960, Darin married her co-star, Sandra Dee, and had a son, Morgan Mitchell Darin. Since infant, Darin was suffering from rheumatic heart disease, that caused him to be frail in his growing years. And in 1973, Darin developed “sepsis” ( deadly medical condition characterized by an inflammatory state of the whole body known as SIRS or Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. On December 19, 1973, he had undergo a repair for his ‘artificial heart valve which he received in 1971′ and the surgery lasted for six hours. And the following day, December 20, 1973, Darin died at his recovery room at the age of 37, without regaining his consciousness.

Doris Day

Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff, was born on April 3, 1924, but she is better known as Doris Day. She is an American actress and a singer, and also an animal rights activist. Her 50 years career, which began with her hit single Sentimental Journey in 1945, and ranked the box-office star for four years from 1960 to 1964, and her recording ranked for ten years, from 1951 to 1966. She was married four times, and the first was to Al Jorden in March 1941 to 1943, where she had a son Terrence “Terry” Melcher. Al Jorden was reported for physical abused of Doris Day, until he committed suicide by gunshot wound in 1967, then the second marriage to George Weidler from 1946 to 1949, Martin Melcher married on April 3, 1951 until 1968 when Melcher died of what could have be ruptured appendix, but the report said he died of heart enlargement. He legally adopted Doris Day son Terry, and her last and fourth marriage was to Barry Comden, a hotel head waiter in 1935 until his death in 2009. Doris Day now lives in California using the name Clara Kappelhoff.

18)  Timi Yuro

Rosemary Timothy Yuro, famously known as Timi Yuro was born on August 4, 1940. She was an American singer and songwriter, with her style of soul and R&B music, and was named as the first blue eyed soul singer and many thought Yuro was a black singer. In 1961, her hit single “Hurt”, became successful on the Billboard chart, I Apologized, Smile, I Believe, Let Me Call You Sweetheart, If and many more. In the mid of 1980, she was diagnosed with throat cancer and her larynx was removed, and she died on March 30, 2004.

Maureen McGovern

Maureen Therese McGovern  or Maureen McGovern for short, was born July 27, 1949. She was an American Broadway actress and singer made name for her The Morning After song in 1972 The Poseidon Adventure theme song, followed in 1974 movie hit The Towering Inferno, with the famous hit theme song, We May Never Love This Way Again and the 1978 theme song for Superman, Can You Read My Mind.  At the age of 8, she dreamed of becoming a famous singer like her idols, Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick. Her career declined so as with her financial matter after her contract ended, and made a debut in her Broadway career. In 1974 she married a drummer, but later divorced.

Shirley Bassey

Dame Shirley Bassey was born on January 8, 1937 and a Welsh singer born from a Nigerian father and Welsh mother. She became famous with hit singles used as theme songs for the James Bond films,  and include; 1964 Goldfinger, 1971 Diamonds Are Forever, and the 1979 Moonraker. I Who Have Nothing and As Long As He Needs Me, also made it to the chart. Bassey married twice, her first husband was Kenneth Hume, a gay film producer married in 1961 and divorced in 1965 and died on 1967, She was romantically linked with actor Peter Finch, and John McAuliffe, who was sued both by Bassey’s husband Hume. The second husband was Sergio Novak, in 1968 and divorced in 1979.

19) Sue Thompson

Eva Sue McKee better known as Sue Thompson, was born on July 19, 1925,in Nevada, Missouri. She was a country music singer and pop singer, and her single Sad Movies and Norman both 1960s pop music hits million selling records followed by hit single Have A Goodtime in 1962. She married at the age of 17 and had a daughter, but her early marriage did not last long and her second marriage was to Dude Martin, within a year she divorced Martin and married Hank Penny, a singer and comedian. Paper Tiger was her last single produced in 1965.

20)  Sarah Vaughan

Sarah Lois Vaughan was born March 27, 1924 and died on April 3, 1990 of lung cancer, after a week of her 66th birthday. Sarah Vaughan, was nicknamed Sailor, because of her salty speech, and Sassy and ‘The Divine One’. She was a jazz singer and became famous with her hit singles such as, If You Could See Me Now, Don’t Blame Me, I’ve Got A Crush On You, Everything I Have is Yours, Body and Soul, It’s Magic, Tenderly, Nature Boy, My Funny Valentine, I Cried For You, Black Coffee and many more jazz songs that hit the Billboard chart. She was married three times, but she never had a child, and adopted Debra Lois, a baby girl in 1961. Sarah Vaughan was described for having a mercurial personality (changing of moods quickly and often), that made the people around her ‘difficult to work with’, thus made her three marriage failed.

Anita Bryant

Anita Jane Bryant  was born March 25, 1940, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner and singer, and an open critic of homosexuals. Her hit single Paper Roses, hit number 5 which marked her name into the music industry. She married Bob Green in 1960, and had four children, but divorced Green in 1980, which gained criticism of hypocrisy from the Christian right  regarding the indissolubility of Christian marriage. She married her second husband in 1990, Charlie Hobson Dry. The gay community continued to regard her name as synonymous with bigotry ( state of mind of a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion)  and homophobia ( negative attitude  and feelings toward homosexuality). Her political activism failed and hurt her business and entertainment career to go on bankruptcy. Her other singles includes; Till There was You, Do-Re-Mi, In My Little Corner of the World, Promise Me a Rose, Wonderland by Night, etc.

Jo Stafford

Jo Elizabeth Stafford was born on November 12, 1917 and died on July 16, 2008 because of congestive heart failure at the age of 90. Jo Stafford was an American part time actress and was a traditional pop music singer and standard jazz from 1930s to 1960s with her purity of voice which was much admired. She began her career as a singer for the Pied Piper an eight member group where she met John Huddleston and married him in 1941 and divorced in 1943. In 1944 Stafford left the group and went on a solo performance, and entertained US based soldiers, thus she acquired the nickname “G.I. Jo”. Her famous song became hit on the Billboard chart that includes; No Other Love, Tennessee Waltz, Jambalaya, Some Enchanted Evening, It Could Happen To You and many more hit songs that made on the chart. On February 26, 1952, J Stafford and Paul Weston (Capitol’s music director, died in 1996 of natural cause) was married in a Catholic ceremony and had two children.

Astrud Gilberto

Astrud Weinert better known as Astrud Gilberto was born a Brazilian samba and  bossa nova singer and best known for her The Girl from Ipanema, a Grammy award winning song.  In 1959, she married Joao Gilberto and in 1963 she and husband migrated to the United States, but divorced in the mid of 1960, and was romantically linked with his musical partner Stan Getz (died of liver cancer on June 6,1991). Her original songs that made it to the chart are: Fly Me to the Moon, Who Can I Turn To, Like That, and many more hit singles. In 2002, Astrud Gilberto announced she will take “indefinite time off” for her public performance due to unrevealed reasons.