Percy Faith was a Canadian-American composer, conductor, and bandleader who rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s with his lush arrangements of instrumental ballads and Christmas standards. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the easy listening genre, which aimed to create soothing and relaxing music for the masses. He is best remembered for his hit songs “The Song from Moulin Rouge” and “Theme from A Summer Place”, which won him a Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1961. But how did this musical legend die? What was the cause of his death? And what legacy did he leave behind? In this article, we will explore the life and death of Percy Faith, the master of easy listening.
Early Life and Career
Percy Faith was born on April 7, 1908, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was the oldest of eight children of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. He showed an early talent for music, playing the violin and piano as a child. He performed in theatres and at Massey Hall, a prestigious concert venue in Toronto. However, his musical career was almost cut short when he suffered a severe burn injury to his hands in a fire at the age of 18. He turned to conducting and arranging instead, and became a successful radio broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from 1933 to 1940.
He moved to the United States in 1940, and became a naturalized citizen in 1945. He worked as an orchestra leader for various radio and television programs, such as The Coca-Cola Hour, The Woolworth Hour, and The Voice of Firestone. He also collaborated with many popular singers of the time, such as Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Johnny Mathis, and Guy Mitchell. He co-wrote Mitchell’s number-one single, “My Heart Cries for You”, with Carl Sigman in 1950.
Rise to Fame and Success
Percy Faith achieved his breakthrough in 1952, when he recorded an instrumental version of “The Song from Moulin Rouge”, which was featured in the Oscar-winning film Moulin Rouge. The song became a huge hit, topping the Billboard charts for 10 weeks and selling over one million copies. It also earned Faith his first Grammy nomination for Best Performance by an Orchestra.
Faith continued to produce more instrumental hits, such as “Delicado”, “Swedish Rhapsody”, and “Tara’s Theme” from Gone with the Wind. He also experimented with different styles and genres, such as Latin, jazz, rock, and pop. He was one of the first to use stereo recording techniques, and created some of the earliest quadraphonic albums. He also composed original music for films and television, such as The Oscar, Tammy Tell Me True, and The Virginian.
His most famous and successful song was “Theme from A Summer Place”, which he recorded in 1959 for the film A Summer Place. The song became a global phenomenon, reaching number one in the United States, Canada, Australia, and many other countries. It stayed at the top of the Billboard charts for nine weeks, a record for an instrumental song that still stands today. It also won Faith his only Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1961, beating out Elvis Presley and The Everly Brothers. The song has been covered by hundreds of artists, and has been used in countless movies, TV shows, and commercials. It is widely considered to be one of the most iconic and influential songs of the 20th century.
Death and Legacy
Percy Faith died of cancer on February 9, 1976, at the age of 67, in Encino, California. He was buried in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California. He was survived by his wife Mary, whom he married in 1928, and his two children, Marilyn and Peter.
Percy Faith left behind a rich and diverse musical legacy, spanning over four decades and hundreds of albums and songs. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers, arrangers, and conductors of all time, and a pioneer of the easy listening genre. He influenced many musicians and artists, such as Henry Mancini, Burt Bacharach, John Williams, and Barry Manilow. He was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. His music continues to be enjoyed and appreciated by millions of fans around the world, who find comfort and joy in his soothing and relaxing melodies.
According to Wikipedia, Percy Faith’s death was caused by cancer. According to The Celebrity Deaths, he died at the age of 67. According to NNDB, he died in Encino, California.
