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Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo (June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1977) [2] was a Canadian and American bandleader, violinist, and hydroplane racer whose unique "sweet jazz" style remained popular with audiences for nearly five decades.
Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians orchestra played music, joined by Lombardo's brothers Carmen, Lebert, and Victor. [2] Elise Rhodes was the female vocalist. [3]In what CBS described as "a completely new and novel idea in television entertainment", the format put less emphasis than usual on music and more on talk. [4]
Guy Lombardo was a fixture on New Year's Eve until his death in 1977. Prior to the premiere of New Year's Rockin' Eve, the most well-known New Year's Eve program was the annual big band remote of bandleader Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, broadcast from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
Some bandleaders, such as Guy Lombardo, performed works composed by others (in Lombardo's case, often by his brother Carmen), [26] while others, such as Maria Schneider, take on all three roles. [27] In many cases, however, the distinction between these roles can become blurred. [28]
The song was quickly covered by many artists including Jimmy Durante, Nat King Cole and Guy Lombardo. [6] The versions by Nat King Cole and Guy Lombardo also reached the American charts. [6] A Phil Spector-produced 1963 cover by The Ronettes is a popular version, featuring in Rolling Stone's list of "The Greatest Rock & Roll Christmas Songs". [7]
During one of these Lombardo performances, the early phonograph recording star Billy Murray died of a heart attack in 1954. [6] Lombardo's final show was the 1977 production of Finian's Rainbow, with Christopher Hewett in the title role. After Lombardo's death in 1977, the series resumed in 1978 with Annie Get Your Gun, starring Lucie Arnaz ...
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Though Lombardo had died in 1977, Guy's brother, Victor Lombardo, and their nephew Bill Lombardo, led the Royal Canadians band for two more New Year specials (1977 and 1978) after that. Happy New Year, America featured coverage of the Times Square Ball in New York City and the party in the ballroom of The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel , both of which ...