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Matt Dennis |
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  Matt Dennis Plays & Sings Matt Dennis |
Basic InformationBorn: Matthew Loveland Dennis, February 14, 1913 (or 1914 -- age 89 or 90), Seattle, Washington (US) Died: June 21, 2002, Riverside, California Primary songwriting role: composer; also pianist, singer, arranger, teacher and music publisher Co-writers: often Tom Adair, Earl Brent, David Gillam, and Ginney Maxey Dennis (wife). Click here to view a database of 9 Matt Dennis co-writers. |
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Overview and Commentary |
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Matt Dennis, equally accomplished as an arranger, songwriter, pianist, and singer, got his start by being born into a Seattle vaudeville family, studying piano and getting a job playing and singing for band leader Horace Heidt when Dennis was only nineteen. Following his gig with Heidt, he formed his own band with a young Dick Haymes singing the leads -- while he did most everything else. After moving to Hollywood and meeting and playing for singers like Martha Tilton and the group The Stafford Sisters, one of whom was Jo Stafford, he honed his skills as an arranger, started writing songs, and, with Jo's influence got hired by Tommy Dorsey as arranger and composer for his orchestra. His biggest writing success with Dorsey was "Everything Happens to Me," a hit for Dorsey's boy singer Frank Sinatra. While in the service during WWII, Dennis became an arranger for Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Orchestra and others as well as a prolific songwriter. His wartime compositions, most written with lyricist Tom Adair, turned out to be his most well remembered songs, including "Will You Still Be Mine?," "Everything Happens To Me," "Let's Get Away from It All," Violets for Your Furs, and "The Night We Called It a Day. "Angel Eyes" from 1953, on which he collaborated with Earl K. Brent, marks his last standard. The latter part of his show business career, running into the 1960's, found him more successful as an entertainer than a songwriter. |
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| posted on the YouTube page for "Relax." (See just below.) | "Matt Dennis was my grandfather. He was the best man I've ever known, I miss him a lot. It makes me so happy to be able to see this on here." |
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Cafe Songbook |
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Matt Dennis and the Hi-Los sing the Dennis song "Relax" on the Rosemary Clooney TV show (1956-1957). |
Matt Dennis sings his song (lyrics by Dave Gillam) "It Wasn't the Stars That Thrilled Me" in the 1953 movie The Bigamist. |
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Credits(Matt Dennis page) |
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