Sunday, July 27, 2014

HAL BATES: "MATT DENNIS, WIFE SPARKLE AT LE FLAMBE"


The Valley News, 8 December 1967

Prolific composer, songwriter ("Everything Happens to Me", "Let's Get Away From It All", "Angel Eyes", "Violets For Your Furs"), pianist and singer, educated in the public schools of San Rafael, California.

He was vocal coach, arranger and composer for Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford, Margaret Whiting, Martha Tilton, Connie Haines, the Pied Pipers, and the Tommy Dorsey orchestra. He served in the US Army Air Force radio unit during World War II, then sang with the Glenn Miller AF Orchestra. He sang in night clubs, TV, films, and on many records, and had his own publishing firm.

Joining ASCAP in 1951, his chief musical collaborators included his wife Virginia Maxey (Ginny Maxey Dennis), Tom Adair, Earl Brent, and David Gillam.

His other popular-song compositions include ""Love Turns Winter to Spring", "Relax", "Will You Still Be Mine", "Little Man With a Candy Cigar", "The Night We Called It a Day", "Show Me the Way to Get Out of This World", "It's Over, It's Over, It's Over", "Who's Yehoodi?", "We Belong Together", "Junior and Julie", "New in Town", "Mine Eyes", "This Tired Routine Called Love", "The Spirit of Christmas" (official song of the National Tuberculosis 1954 Christmas Seal Campaign), "We've Reached the Point of No Return", "Snuggle Up, Baby", and "You Can Believe Me".

Matt Dennis died 21 June 2002 at age 89.