APRIL 26

1932
Born in Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France. Francis Lai is a French accordionist, and composer noted for his film scores. While in his twenties, Francis Lai left home and went to Paris where he became part of the lively Montmartre music scene. In 1965 he met filmmaker Claude Lelouch and was hired to help write the score for the film, Un homme et une femme (A Man and A Woman). Released in 1966, the film was a major international success, earning a number of Academy Awards, and for the young Francis Lai, a Golden Globe Award nomination for "Best Original Score".

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APRIL 19

1921
Robert Maxwell (born April 19, 1921)
He is a harpist and songwriter, who wrote the music for two well-known songs: "Ebb Tide" and "Shangri-La (originally a composition entitled "Fantasy for Harp"). He is the father of modern dancer Carla Maxwell, artistic director of The Jose Limon Dance Company. He and his two brothers, Abe Rosen and Myor Rosen, all played the harp professionally. Abe Rosen was known for his work playing in New York shows and Myor Rosen was the principal harpist for the New York Philharmonic for thirty years.

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APRIL 18

1918

Tony Mottola (April 18, 1918 – August 9, 2004) was an American guitarist who released dozens of solo albums. Mottola was born in Kearny, New Jersey, and died in Denville, New Jersey.

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APRIL 17

1929

James Last was born on 17 April 1929 in Bremen. He is a German composer and big band leader. His "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom. His composition Happy Heart became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark.

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APRIL 16

1924 Henry Mancini (April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards (20), including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995. His best-known works include the jazz-idiom theme to The Pink Panther film series ("The Pink Panther Theme"), the Peter Gunn Theme from the television series, and back-to-back Academy Awards for the songs "Moon River" from the Blake Edwards film Breakfast at Tiffany's and "Days of Wine and Roses" from the 1962 film Days of Wine and Roses. Wikipedia | Search Amazon.com for Henry Mancini

APRIL 13

1942  William "Bill" Conti (born April 13, 1942) is an American film music composer who is frequently the conductor at the Academy Awards ceremony. His big break into celebrity came in 1976, when he was hired to compose the music for a small United Artists film called Rocky. The film became a phenomenon, and Conti's training montage tune, "Gonna Fly Now" topped the Billboard singles chart in 1977. He also composed music for the sequels Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky V (1990) and Rocky Balboa (2006). Wikipedia | Search Amazon.com for Bill" Conti