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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZHOWARD, Eddy(b 12 September 1914, Woodland CA; d 23 May 1963, Palm Desert CA) Singer, bandleader, songwriter. He attended medical school, then began singing on Los Angeles radio; worked with several bands, then with Dick Jurgens '34-40: hits on Vocalion included 'Careless' and 'My Last Goodbye', his own compositions. He formed his own band '41, a popular 'sweet' band for many years, still active in the studios into the '60s; he led a vocal trio and sang solo in a pleasant, unpretentious style, still redolent of nostalgia. Ten top 20 hits '46-52 began on Majestic; when that label went broke it was snapped up by Mercury, probably to get Howard. 'To Each His Own' was a no. 1, written for a film of that name (but not used) by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston, who also wrote 'Mona Lisa', 'Tammy' (nominated for an Oscar, from the '57 Debbie Reynolds movie), many others. Howard's record was backed by a new recording of 'Careless', which was his band's theme; other hits included 'My Adobe Hacienda', 'I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder', and 'Sin (It's No Sin)' (his second no. 1, '51; also a hit by the Four Aces). He also recorded for Columbia, several of his tracks there with a band supervised by Teddy Wilson. Howard's single of 'Happy Birthday' and 'The Anniversary Waltz' was a juke box staple for years. |