Died On This Date (March 11, 2011) Hugh Martin / Wrote “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
themusicsover Hugh Martin
August 11, 1914 – March 11, 2011
Hugh Martin was a highly successful American theatrical and film composer and arranger. Over the course of a career that spanned some 60 years, Martin wrote the music and in some cases the lyrics for such musicals as Make A Wish, High Spirits, and his most celebrated, Meet Me In St. Louis, in which Judy Garland sang his “The Trolley Song,” “The Boy Next Door,” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” He also worked as a vocal arranger on Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Sugar Babies, and Top Banana to name a few. His film credits include Athena, The Girl Most Likely, and Best Foot Forward. Hugh Martin was 96 when he passed away on March 11, 2011.
You can learn more about Hugh Martin by watching THIS INTERVIEW for the National Association of Music Merchants.
Jack Hardy was a respected and influential New York singer-songwriter who came to prominence in the early ’70s. After building a following in Greenwich Village, Hardy began hosting a weekly gathering of local singer-songwriters in his apartment. It eventually became a must-visit for aspiring songwriters which included the likes of Suzanne Vega and John Gorka, to name a few. By the ’80s, Hardy was becoming quite popular – mainly in Europe, and was touring with friend, David Massengill as the Folk Brothers. He released several albums over the course of his career and has been cited as a direct influence on the likes of Vega, David Wilcox, and the Roches. Jack Hardy was 63 when he passed away on March 11, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released, but he had reportedly been diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks prior.
Rita Guerrero was the lead singer of popular Mexican rock band, Santa Sabina. Co-formed by Guerrero in Mexico City in 1989, the band built a solid following thanks in part to their Gothic twist on progressive rock and jazz as well as Guerrero’s charismatic stage presence. During the late 80s, Guerrero moved from her home in Guadalajara to attend college in Mexico City. A theater student, she enlisted the help of a few local musicians to provide music for a play she had written. They quickly realized they had something special and became an actual band. Over the course of their run, they released seven albums including an MTV Latin Unplugged set. Santa Sabina went on hiatus in 2006 with Guerrero and fellow band mate, Leonel Perez continuing on as a chamber group, Ensamble Galileo. In January of 2010, Guerrero learned she had breast cancer. After a courageous year-long battle, Rita Guerrero succumbed to the cancer on March 11, 2011. She was 47.
