Don Cherry was born on this date in 1924 in Wichita Falls, Texas. He started in his early 1920s as a big band singer in the orchestras of Jan Garber and Victor Young. In 1951, he recorded his first solo hits, Thinking of You and Belle, Belle, My Liberty Belle. In 1955, he recorded his biggest hit, Band of Gold, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The track peaked at No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart.
Band of Gold is a classic pop song, with music by Jack Taylor and lyrics by Bob Musel. It was published in 1955. It was used in the television series, Mad Men.
He had a fantastic tenor voice with a dreamy quality that had a touch of Dean Martin, only better! He was also a good looking man.
date & photographer unknown
However, his career never rose to stardom as a singer and he is better known as a golfer. He was one of America’s top-ranked amateur golfers and was in contention to win the 1960 U.S. Open before eventually finishing tied for ninth along with Ben Hogan, four strokes behind winner Arnold Palmer
Don Cherry - 1953
photo: Augusta Nationall/Getty Images
Cherry published his biography, Cherry's Jubilee, with co-writer Neil Daniels. He was a good friend of Willie Nelson, and had collaborated on three albums with him, Augusta (1995), The Eyes of Texas (2002), and It's Magic (2007).
In 1970, Freda Payne recorded a song with the same title, Band of Gold, written and composed by former Motown producers Holland–Dozier–Holland but it was a totally different tune. Where The Cherry song is positive, the Payne one is not.
His son, Stephen, was a casualty of the 9/11 attacks when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. Don Cherry died at a Las Vegas hospice on April 4, 2018; he was 94 years old.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A - Band Of Gold, written by Musel*, J. Taylor*
Side 2:
B - Rumble Boogie, written by E. Curtis*
Companies, etc.
Side 1:
A - Band Of Gold, written by Musel*, J. Taylor*
Side 2:
B - Rumble Boogie, written by E. Curtis*
Companies, etc.
Published By – Ludlow Music, Inc.
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Bridgeport
Credits:
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Bridgeport
Credits:
Orchestra – Ray Conniff & His Orch.*
Notes:
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Label Side A): ZSP 37224
Matrix / Runout (Label Side B): ZSP 37223
Matrix / Runout (Stamped Side A): ZSP37224-1D
Matrix / Runout (Stamped Side B): ZSP37223-1E
Matrix / Runout (Label Side B): ZSP 37223
Matrix / Runout (Stamped Side A): ZSP37224-1D
Matrix / Runout (Stamped Side B): ZSP37223-1E
Viewfinder links:
Amature Golf ~ Don Cherry dies at 94
Gaming Today ~ Don Cherry: 'the best singer ever to play golf'
YouTube links:
Don Cherry ~
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, January 12, 2021
