Author, producer, saxophonist, and singer-songwriter who is probably best remembered for co-penning the Lesley Gore hit “It’s My Party” and the Elvis Presley hit “It’s Now Or Never” with partner Aaron Schroeder.
Wally’s musical beginnings were inauspicious enough, touring with the U.S. Navy Band during World War II after graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree at Boston University.
After his tour of duty was over, he formed a vocal quartet called The Four Esquires and they enjoyed moderate success in the clubs, on T.V. and on vinyl.
He got into the business side of things as the manager of Arch Music and V.P. of Schroeder’s eponymous music company, and that’s when their collaboration as songwriters began. In addition to “It’s Now Or Never”, they co-wrote another Elvis hit, “Good Luck Charm”. Wally went on to produce records for Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett, Gene Pitney, Neil Sedaka, and Barbra Streisand, and discovered the progressive rock group Kansas.
He passed away in 1998 at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey, from colitis.
John Schneider recordings
It’s Now Or Never (Eduardo di Capua/Wally Gold/Aaron Schroeder)
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Gold
- http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0761868.html
- http://us.imdb.com/name/nm1424916/
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E05E4DB123CF930A15755C0A96E958260
- http://www.bobshannon.com/stories/Party.html
- http://www.progreviews.com/articles/index.php?show=kansas
- http://www.artgarfunkel.com/lyrics/goodluck.html
- http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,141243,00.html
- http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/album/album.cgi?ALBUMID=484029
- http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-20852711.html