Memories of Buddy Clark
by Frank E. Dee
I was 12 years old, when I first heard Buddy Clark’s voice at a local neighbor’s house on a wind-up RCA Victrola in 1946. The song I heard him sing on the old breakable record, disc was ‘LINDA’. At the time this song was a number one hit, on all the music charts, and it was sweeping the nation. It seemed everywhere I went as a boy, everyone would be humming or singing to themselves that song, and many a parent were naming their new born daughter, ‘LINDA’.
The local neighbor had a large collection of Buddy Clark recordings, and he would play them for hours at a time. The Clark voice became part of the neighborhood. I remember very clearly the neighbor telling us young local boys of the neighborhood, how he grew-up in the West End of Boston, with Buddy Clark, and going to school with him. I was so inspired by the stories about Buddy, that the man told us. Buddy became my so called first mentor in music, as well as singer Al Martino, who came later in the early 50's. I wanted to sing just like them.
I remember going home and trying to imitate the melodious Buddy Clark tremolo sweet sound, that Clark projected. With Buddy Clark as my so called first vocal teacher, and musical inspiration, years later, singer Al Martino's voice inspired me to start vocal lessons, and I entered a singing contest, and was amazed that I won first prize,…the large sum of $15.00.
Buddy Clark became my stepping stone to good music of the era, and when Al Martino came along. It was Al Martino who became my vocal inspiration.
Buddy Clark was famous in the 30's and 40's. He at that time was known as a voice of romantics.
But suddenly tragic hit the nation. Buddy Clark died in an untimely
plane crash, on October 2, 1949, local Bostonians, and yours truly along with the rest of the nation were in shock. One of the best crooners was now gone, and his recordings at the time were being aired on radio for months. Even after his death 51 years later, Buddy Clark is still remembered. His recordings can be heard at various radio stations, and now his songs can be purchased on tape, and CD’s.
It seems as one door in life closes for one singing super star, another one opens. In October of 1949 another new door was opened for a new singing sensation. Mario Lanza. He was now the new kid on the block singing his way into the hearts of millions, with his new hit movie… "The Midnight Kiss."
Strange as it may seem, when I went to the Boston Public Library to look into the back archive copies of the Boston papers, I found Buddy Clark’s story on his career and his death. On the very next page a new singer was being introduced to the public in the movie "The Midnight Kiss." He was Mario Lanza. The date of this paper I was looking at was October 3, 1949. Strange indeed... Buddy Clark and Mario Lanza both died on the same month in October. Clark died October 2, 1949, and Mario Lanza died October 7, 1959, ten years and five days after Buddy Clark’s death.
Yes, in the highly charged and intensely exciting world of good POPULAR M-U-S-I-C, of the 1930’s and the 1940’s, and let us never forget the 50’s.
Buddy Clark without doubt occupied a special place in the hearts
of millions of people who knew and loved the Buddy Clark melodious
baritone sound, that this great singer delivered into our lives.
He brought the romantics, the love, the memories to those of us who felt and knew his unique sounding voice. Buddy Clark’s voice still continues to be heard often on certain radio stations around the United States, who continue to play good solid popular music of the golden days of yesteryear. Songs of easy listening with a touch of love will live with those of us who remember the giants of the vocals and big band era, and we, who will continue to enjoy the good sounds of popular music.
Yes, I remember the great Buddy Clark.
Listed are only a few of the songs that Buddy Clark turned into smash
hits, which now can be purchased either on tape cassette, or CD, at your favorite music store, from Columbia Records. The title is: "Buddy Clark, 16 Most Requested Songs." ‘I’ll Dance At Your Wedding’, ‘Linda’, ‘How Are Things In Glocca Morra?’, ‘Ballerina’, ‘Peg O’ My Heart’, ’Love Somebody’, duet with Doris Day, and ‘Rosalie’, ‘Girl Of My Dreams’, ‘South America,Take It Away!’, ‘Now Is The Hour’, ‘My Darling, My Darling, duet with Doris Day, ‘It’s A Big Wide Wonderful World We Live In’, ‘You’re Breaking My Heart’, ‘A Dreamer’s Holiday’, ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’, duet with Dinah Shore, and ‘I’ll Get By (As Long As I Have You). Buddy Clark also had other hit songs such as: ‘If You Were Only Mine’, ‘I Still Get A Thrill’, ‘The Very Thought Of You’, ‘Stay As Sweet As You Are’, ‘It Had To Be You’, ‘Sleepy Time Gal’. I may add one of my favorite Buddy classic songs he sang, and sang it so well, was ‘I’m All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart.'
Years later in the 50's came another great vocalist. A singer of the people. Jerry Vale, who honored Buddy Clark, with a beautiful album of Buddy's songs titled: "I Remember Buddy." This is one album you must add to your collection. Jerry Vale does an outstanding job in delivering these beautiful ballards. His rendition of "All Dressed-Up With A Broken Heart" is indeed manificent. But then again so are all the songs Vale, sings in the entire album.
