American singer-songwriter Alan Copeland dies

• A music legend has passed away.
• Singer-songwriter Alan Copeland has died at the age of 96.
• He worked with Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford, and Red Skelton, among others.

Despite the fact that he died on December 28, it was not until just a few days ago that the news of the tragic death of singer-songwriter Alan Copeland, at the age of 96, was announced. He worked with Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford and Red Skelton, among others.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the artist died in an assisted living center in Sonora, California, his friend Bob Lehmann said. Just last fall, he sang and played keyboards in the Now You Hazz Jazz quartet: «It was his dream to play in a small group until the last curtain, that’s how he termed it,» Lehmann said.

Rest in peace, Alan Copeland

Born on October 6, 1926 in Los Angeles, California, Alan Robert Copeland, also known as Weaver Copeland, was a member of The Modernaires from 1948 to 1956, returning in 1959 and remaining with the group until the mid-1950s and the sixties. In addition to being a singer, he was a noted composer.

Some of the songs he wrote and co-wrote are Make Love to Me, Back Where I Belong, Darling, Darling, Darling, High Society, Into the Shadows, This Must be the Place, Too Young to Know and While the Vesper Bells Were Ringing. He also worked as a composer for TV and arranged music for the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

Alan Copeland, Grammy award winner

As if that were not enough, Alan Copeland led orchestras that released several albums in the 1960s. In 1968 he paired the theme to Mission: Impossible with Norwegian Wood, by the Beatles.

Among his greatest achievements, the 120th place he reached on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart stands out. He also won a Grammy award for Best Contemporary Pop Performance by a Choir. In November 2007, he published his autobiography called Jukebox Saturday Nights. (Filed Under: Singer-Songwriter Alan Copeland Dies)

An outstanding career

The Hollywood Reporter also stated that Alan Copeland arranged and directed the song Cuando Calienta el Sol by Jim Nabors, a song many associate with Luis Miguel. He also sang in the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie, starring Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Channing. He served as choral supervisor on Blake Edwards’ Darling Lili, starring Julie Andrews and Rock Hudson, and on Christmas specials hosted by Bing Crosby for two decades.

Finally, Copeland appeared as a member of Tony Randall’s Felix Unger band in two 1974 episodes of ABC television’s The Odd Couple and returned, once again, with his group The Modernaires in the 1990s. He also collaborated with his late wife, Joyce, a vocalist also known as Mahmu Pearl, on several albums.

Mourning Alan Copeland’s death

On social media, the members of the Bob Mitchell Boys Choir expressed their condolences after learning of Alan Copeland’s death: “I am sorry to hear that ‘former choir boy’ Alan Copeland passed away last week. He was a great guy and a very talented arranger, bandleader, composer, singer and was in the choir during his golden years.”

“RBM once told me a funny story when the choir was doing the Red Skelton show and Alan was the director of vocal music with his Alan Copeland Singers. RBM told me how surprised he was by the way Alan talked to singers about him because Alan sounds just like him when he corrects guys.” (Filed Under: Singer-Songwriter Alan Copeland Dies)