John gary biography
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He won a Grammy for Most Promising Male Vocalist in 1963. He received 2 patents for diving devices he had invented. He also tried out for a place on the 1984 Olympics archery team and scored 1100 of a possible 1400 points.
In 1991 Gary was diagnosed with cancer, but performed at the 1991 and 1992 Archdiocesan Charity Balls in New Orleans.
After he toured the Southern states with Macon Conservatory pianist Frank Pursley he went to live with his mother and three siblings in California. His performance style from the beginning was one of establishing a sense of intimacy with his audience, made easier by his comfortably handsome looks.
During Gary’s affiliation with RCA he recorded more than twenty albums; the first was “Catch a Rising Star.” He also recorded about twenty-five albums for various independent labels.
Though he scored no hit singles, some of his mid-1960s albums rose to the Top 20, including “The Nearness of You” (which reached #11 in 1965), “Encore,” and “A Little Bit of Heaven.” Other popular albums by Gary include “Songs of Love and “Romance,” “Ireland’s Greatest Hits,” “The Very Best of John Gary,” and “The Essential John Gary.”
Dick Alba, Mr.
Gary’s longtime diving partner, said Mr. Gary was an all-around athlete and set a record for underwater endurance, often staying under for 24 hours at a time. A gifted athlete, John set world records for underwater endurance. He attended North Hollywood Junior and Senior High and enrolled in Hollywood Professional School while performing as a regular staff member on CBS/KNX radio.
Possibly because his wide range was difficult for fans to sing along to; also his career peaked at the same time as the Beatles, whose unique popularity displaced the works of many artists of the time.
Gary was sometimes called the singer's singer because only another singer could fully appreciate what he was able to do with his voice.
He performed regularly at the Fairmont’s Blue Room and the New Orleans Summer Pops for many years after leaving the city and long had one of the city’s most active fan clubs.
In 1992, he learned he needed a bone-marrow transplant to treat an inoperable form of cancer. He appeared 30 times as a guest on the The Tonight Show with Jack Parr, Steve Allen and Johnny Carson.
Siblings Shirley and John (at age 5!) performed together in numerous talent shows. He joined the US Marine Corps, in which he served as a military policeman and chaplain’s assistant. At the time of his death, he’d recently completed a tour with the Mantovani Orchestra and was preparing to release a new CD.
SOURCES
http://www.johngary.com/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0308879/bio
http://www.mtv.com/artists/john-gary-1/biography/
https://variety.com/…/vocalist-john-gary-dead-at-65…
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fgaah
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gary
John Gary (1932 - 1998) was a popular and technically accomplished vocalist.
Gary was considered by many to be one of the best crooners due to his extaordinary breath control and tonal quality of his voice.
Gary also had children from previous relationships with Muriel Stafford Getz and Lois Reidy McDonnell. Hedda Hopper had a role in getting him his first professional work, and John entertained on radio shows.
In the late 1950s, Mr. Gary invented the Aqua-peller, an underwater propulsion device. He made 45 recordings by age 11, and at age 12 he toured the southern states with Frank Pursley, a blind pianist for the Mason Conservatory.
By Gary’s twelfth birthday his parents had divorced, and his mother Merle married photographer and actor Bob Yale, who brought his new wife and her children out to Hollywood.
He was 65.
Born as John Gary Strader in Watertown, N.Y., Gary won a three-year scholarship at the age of 11 as a soprano to attend the renowned Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York.
He went on as a young professional in Hollywood to perform at Ken Murray’s “Blackouts.”
After a stint in the Marines, Gary became a regular cast member with Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club in Chicago.
Gary later signed with RCA Records, recording 24 albums for the label, including “To Catch a Rising Star,” as well as 25 additional albums for independent labels.
Gary appeared on numerous television shows, including “The Tonight Show,” “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Merv Griffin Show.”
He was a regular on “The Danny Kaye Show” for CBS, which led to a 90-minute color syndicated program, “The John Gary Show,” for three years.
Gary, who was a three-octave soprano, also starred in musical theater throughout the country and performed in concerts worldwide.
For the past 27 years, Gary resided in Richardson, Texas, a Dallas suburb.
After being discharged from the service at age twenty Gary met Bob McGimsey, who became his mentor and manager.
Gary made “demo” recordings for songwriters such as Harry Ruby, Sammy Fain, Jimmy McHugh, Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer, Victor Young, and Henry Mancini. At a New Orleans athletic club, he set a record of 41 hours for underwater endurance, beating a professional diver and a career athlete.
His signature song, “Danny Boy,” revealed his love for Irish tunes, but his singing repertoire included show tunes, country hits, and romantic ballads.
He was born to Harold Strader and Merle Dawson Harrington, who already had two children, Richard and Shirley, and later had another son, Malcolm. He also sang for tips as he worked as a waiter, doorman, and usher at various restaurants, hotels, and theaters.
His stepfather, Bob Yale, became Gary’s agent and manager and promoted his early career in Hollywood.