Blane was born Ralph Uriah Hunsecker in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He attended Tulsa Central High School.[2] He studied singing with Estelle Liebling in New York City.[3] He began his career as a radio singer for NBC in the 1930s before turning to Broadway, where he was featured in New Faces of 1936 (1936), Hooray for What! (1937), and Louisiana Purchase (1940).[1] In 1940 he formed a vocal quartet ("The Martins") with his friend Hugh Martin which performed on radio and in nightclubs.[1]
Martin and Blane formed a songwriting partnership.[1] Together they wrote music and lyrics to Best Foot Forward (1941) and Three Wishes for Jamie (1952). The duo penned many American standards for the stage and MGM musicals. The team's best-known songs include "The Boy Next Door", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Trolley Song", all written for the 1944 film musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Facing the challenge of writing a song about a trolley, the duo visited a public library, and in a book they found the caption "Clang, clang, clang went the trolley", which formed the nucleus for the lyric of their song, which earned them their first Oscar nomination (their second was for "Pass That Peace Pipe", written in collaboration with Roger Edens for the 1947 film adaptation of Good News).[1]Meet Me in St. Louis was adapted for a 1989 Broadway musical of the same name.
In 1991, Blane sang "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" at The Magic Kingdom in performances of Walt Disney World's Christmas Candlelight Processional. George Kennedy narrated the Christmas Story during the performances.
He is buried in Broken Arrow's Park Grove Cemetery.
References
^ abcdeIan Brookes (25 July 2013). "Blane, Ralph [Hunsecker, Ralph Uriah]". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2240236. ISBN978-1-56159-263-0.
^"Alumni Named to Central High Hall of Fame", Tulsa World, November 3, 1991.
^Dean Fowler, Alandra (1994). Estelle Liebling: An exploration of her pedagogical principles as an extension and elaboration of the Marchesi method, including a survey of her music and editing for coloratura soprano and other voices (PhD). University of Arizona.
ralph, blane, july, 1914, november, 1995, american, composer, lyricist, performer, birth, nameralph, uriah, hunseckerborn, 1914, july, 1914broken, arrow, oklahoma, usdiednovember, 1995, 1995, aged, broken, arrow, oklahoma, usgenresmusical, theatre, popularoccu. Ralph Blane July 26 1914 November 13 1995 1 was an American composer lyricist and performer Ralph BlaneBirth nameRalph Uriah HunseckerBorn 1914 07 26 July 26 1914Broken Arrow Oklahoma USDiedNovember 13 1995 1995 11 13 aged 81 Broken Arrow Oklahoma USGenresMusical theatre popularOccupation s ComposerlyricistperformerLife and career EditBlane was born Ralph Uriah Hunsecker in Broken Arrow Oklahoma He attended Tulsa Central High School 2 He studied singing with Estelle Liebling in New York City 3 He began his career as a radio singer for NBC in the 1930s before turning to Broadway where he was featured in New Faces of 1936 1936 Hooray for What 1937 and Louisiana Purchase 1940 1 In 1940 he formed a vocal quartet The Martins with his friend Hugh Martin which performed on radio and in nightclubs 1 Martin and Blane formed a songwriting partnership 1 Together they wrote music and lyrics to Best Foot Forward 1941 and Three Wishes for Jamie 1952 The duo penned many American standards for the stage and MGM musicals The team s best known songs include The Boy Next Door Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and The Trolley Song all written for the 1944 film musical Meet Me in St Louis Facing the challenge of writing a song about a trolley the duo visited a public library and in a book they found the caption Clang clang clang went the trolley which formed the nucleus for the lyric of their song which earned them their first Oscar nomination their second was for Pass That Peace Pipe written in collaboration with Roger Edens for the 1947 film adaptation of Good News 1 Meet Me in St Louis was adapted for a 1989 Broadway musical of the same name Blane also collaborated with Harry Warren Harold Arlen and Kay Thompson among others In 1983 Blane was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame 4 In 1991 Blane sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas at The Magic Kingdom in performances of Walt Disney World s Christmas Candlelight Processional George Kennedy narrated the Christmas Story during the performances He is buried in Broken Arrow s Park Grove Cemetery References Edit a b c d e Ian Brookes 25 July 2013 Blane Ralph Hunsecker Ralph Uriah Grove Music Online 8th ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 gmo 9781561592630 article A2240236 ISBN 978 1 56159 263 0 Alumni Named to Central High Hall of Fame Tulsa World November 3 1991 Dean Fowler Alandra 1994 Estelle Liebling An exploration of her pedagogical principles as an extension and elaboration of the Marchesi method including a survey of her music and editing for coloratura soprano and other voices PhD University of Arizona Songwriters Hall of Fame External links Edit Biography portalRalph Blane at the Internet Broadway Database Ralph Blane at IMDb Musicmatch com Ralph Blane Biography Archived from original June 21 2003 Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Blane Ralph Ralph Blane at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ralph Blane amp oldid 1084321498, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
