Richard Benjamin (Dick) Haymes
September 13th 1916...March 28th 1980
Dick Haymes was one of the most splendid ballad singers of his era, the near-equal of Crosby and Sinatra on classics
of the form like
It Can't Be Wrong,
Till The End Of Time, and
It Might As Well Be Spring,
and he continued performing and recording until his death in 1980.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1918, he was the son of British parents and after they separated, he was reared by his mother in Paris before the Depression crippled their finances. He spent the rest of his formative years in the United States, where his mother performed as a singer. Haymes made his professional debut at the age of 15, singing with a hotel band in New Jersey while on summer vacation.
He left school in 1933 and moved to Hollywood, where he worked as a stuntman and/or extra on films. After writing a few songs in 1939, he approached Harry James with hopes he would buy them; though James wasn't very impressed with his songwriting skills, he hired Haymes one year later, to replace Frank Sinatra as his leading male singer.
During 1941-42, Dick Haymes recorded a few hits with James, including "A Sinner Kissed An Angel", and "The Devil Sat Down And Cried", (His biggest hit with James, I'll Get By, hit number one in 1944, three years after its recording.)
Haymes also sang with Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey before signing to Decca in 1943.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1918, he was the son of British parents and after they separated, he was reared by his mother in Paris before the Depression crippled their finances. He spent the rest of his formative years in the United States, where his mother performed as a singer. Haymes made his professional debut at the age of 15, singing with a hotel band in New Jersey while on summer vacation.
He left school in 1933 and moved to Hollywood, where he worked as a stuntman and/or extra on films. After writing a few songs in 1939, he approached Harry James with hopes he would buy them; though James wasn't very impressed with his songwriting skills, he hired Haymes one year later, to replace Frank Sinatra as his leading male singer.
During 1941-42, Dick Haymes recorded a few hits with James, including "A Sinner Kissed An Angel", and "The Devil Sat Down And Cried", (His biggest hit with James, I'll Get By, hit number one in 1944, three years after its recording.)
Haymes also sang with Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey before signing to Decca in 1943.
One of his first singles, You'll Never Know,
hit number one in July 1943. Another, "It Can't Be Wrong," was also a substantial hit. He
then moved to starring roles in Hollywood, appearing in 1945's State Fair, and scored a Top Five hit with
the Oscar-winning "It Might as Well Be Spring" from the film.
He spent much of the mid-1940s near the top of the charts with the songs "Put Your Arms Around Me Honey", "Laura",, "Till the End of Time" and "That's For Me", He also hosted a radio show with Helen Forrest, and starred in several more films after the success of State Fair.
He divorced his wife, actress Joanne Dru, began drinking heavily. A whirlwind romance and two-year marriage to Rita Hayworth hardly settled things down; when added to immigration and tax troubles. He began a comeback in 1955, thanks to a contract with Capitol Records. Haymes recorded two LPs for Capitol, Rain or Shine and Moondreams. After moving to Ireland in the 1960s, He finally kicked his drinking habit and returned to recording with 1969's Now and Then. He moved to America in the 1970s again, performing club dates and recording an album at The Cocoanut Grove. He last recorded in 1978, and lost his fight with cancer two years later.
He spent much of the mid-1940s near the top of the charts with the songs "Put Your Arms Around Me Honey", "Laura",, "Till the End of Time" and "That's For Me", He also hosted a radio show with Helen Forrest, and starred in several more films after the success of State Fair.
He divorced his wife, actress Joanne Dru, began drinking heavily. A whirlwind romance and two-year marriage to Rita Hayworth hardly settled things down; when added to immigration and tax troubles. He began a comeback in 1955, thanks to a contract with Capitol Records. Haymes recorded two LPs for Capitol, Rain or Shine and Moondreams. After moving to Ireland in the 1960s, He finally kicked his drinking habit and returned to recording with 1969's Now and Then. He moved to America in the 1970s again, performing club dates and recording an album at The Cocoanut Grove. He last recorded in 1978, and lost his fight with cancer two years later.