Buddy Kaye

In celebration of the centennial birthdate of Buddy Kaye, January 3, 2018, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) recognized the achievements and success of Golden Circle member Buddy Kaye referring to him in a published article as “A lyricist for the ages". On April 29, 2018, in Brooklyn, NY, the James Madison Alumni Association added Buddy Kaye to the Madison Wall of Distinction.

Kaye completed the book and lyrics to When Garbo Talks!, his final work, in 2002. The stage musical had its world premiere at International City Theatre, Long Beach Performing Arts Center, October 15, 2010. In 2015, seventy years after first being recorded by Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan released a cover version of “Full Moon and Empty Arms” on his Shadows in the Night album of Sinatra standards and then praised Buddy Kaye in his MusiCares Person of the Year speech as one of the great songwriters who may not be well known in these times but deserves recognition.

His "'A' - You're Adorable" was a #1 hit for Como and The Fontaine Sisters in 1949. Other Kaye songs became hits for Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald and Dusty Springfield, plus others.

Hit songwriter and lyricist ("Till the End of Time", "Full Moon and Empty Arms"), author, musician and publisher who began his career as a saxophonist aboard ships and at summer hotels. He made a number of recordings with his own quintet, and wrote special material for The Mills Brothers, Ted Lewis, and The McGuire Sisters. He wrote "Till the End of Time" (based on a Frédéric Chopin polonaise) with Ted Mossman, which became the first big Perry Como hit (selling two million copies) and a hit for Les Brown with the voice of Doris Day. In 1946 he had another success with "Full Moon and Empty Arms" (based on a Sergei Rachmaninoff theme, the 2nd Piano Concerto), a hit for Frank Sinatra in 1946.

Jules Leonard "Buddy" Kaye (January 3, 1918 New York City - November 21, 2002 Rancho Mirage, California) was an American songwriter, musician, producer, author and music publisher. His songs were recorded by top performers, including Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, McGuire Sisters, Glenn Miller, Sammy Kaye, Perry Como, Elvis Presley, Charles Aznavour, Tony Bennett, Cliff Richard, Pat Boone, Harry Belafonte, Little Richard, Barry Manilow, Karen Carpenter, Diana Krall, and Dusty Springfield. He scored number 1 hits on the Billboard charts in 1945 with "Till The End Of Time", recorded by Perry Como, and in 1949 with "'A' You're Adorable (The Alphabet Song)", recorded by Como and the Fontaine Sisters. Among his most recognizable tunes in pop culture is the co-written theme song to the television series I Dream of Jeannie. In 1976, he won a Grammy Award for best children's album for his production of The Little Prince, narrated by Richard Burton.