Died On This Date (April 8, 2013) Annette Funicello / Legendary Mouseketeer, Singer & Actress
themusicsover Annette Funicello
October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013
Annette Funicello was an American child actress who parlayed her popularity as one of the Mouseketeers on the original Mickey Mouse Club into a lifelong career in film, television and pop music. Trained in dance and music at an early age, Funicello was discovered by Walt Disney when she was 12 years old. She was one of a very few to have been selected by Disney himself. After the first show’s first season, she reportedly received over 6000 pieces of fan mail per month. After graduating from Disney, Funicello became a teen idol, starring with Frankie Avalon in popular beach movies like Beach Blanket Bingo, Beach Party, How To Stuff A Wild Bikini, and Muscle Beach Party. Throughout her career, she scored charting hits with “Tall Paul” (#7), “Pineapple Princess” (#11), “First Name Initial” (#20), and many more. In 1987, Funicello and Avalon reunited for Back To The Beach, a parody of their earlier beach movies. They also toured the U.S. singing their hits. In 1992, she revealed that she was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis to discount rumors that she was battling alcoholism. Annette Funicello ultimately died as a result of MS on April 8, 2013. She was 70.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus at Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.
What You Should Own
Patty Andrews, along with her two older sisters, 
Patti Page was an American singer who has been called the biggest selling female singer of the ’50s. Born into poverty in Oklahoma, Page began singing professionally after she graduating high school in 1945. Her first appearance of note was a 15-minute segment on KTUL radio in Tulsa. That lead to a touring gig with the Jimmy Joy Band who ultimately settled in Chicago where she met 
R.B. Greaves was an American singer whose biggest hit came in 1969 with “Take A Letter Maria.” Born on an American Air Force base in Guyana – and a cousin of 
With 18 gold and three platinum albums, and a three-time Emmy winning primetime variety show, Andy Williams was a force to be reckoned with during the ’60s and ’70s. Williams launched his career with six recordings for an X Records, and RCA Victor label, in 1953. A year later he made his first of many appearances on Tonight Starring Steve Allen which led to his signing to Cadence Records and his first hits. By the mid ’60s, Williams was recording for Columbia and had purchased the Cadence master tape catalog which also included recordings by the Everly Brothers and the Chordettes. He soon launched Barnaby Records which had hits with Ray Stevens’ “Everything Is Beautiful” and “The Streak.” He also signed a young Jimmy Buffett to his first record deal at Barnaby. Meanwhile, Williams was quickly becoming the most popular pop vocalist of his era. At one point during the ’60s, he was awarded the most expensive recording contract in history. As a solo performer with 18 gold records, his award count was eclipsed by only 