Murray Kane

Murray Kane (born Moses Simon Kaplan, May 26, 1915[1] – January 31, 1986[2]) was an American Corporal, composer and band manager. As a performer, he was a member of the Crew Chiefs vocal group and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Murray Kane
Birth nameMoses Simon Kaplan
BornMay 26, 1915
DiedJanuary 31, 1986(1986-01-31) (aged 70)
GenresJazz, swing, big band
Occupation(s)Vocalist, composer, arranger, U.S. Army Corporal
InstrumentsVocals
Associated actsThe Crew Chiefs, Glenn Miller Orchestra, The McGuire Sisters

Early life

Kane was born in 1915 in Brooklyn, New York. During high school, Kane hosted a radio show on WNEW alongside Hal Kanner.[3]

Career

Early career

Around 1937–38, after graduating from high school, Kane and Kanner recruited a female vocalist and performed under the names of "The Manhattanites" and "Two Bees and A Honey". The group was later joined by Daisy Brennier, and they performed with Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians on the Chesterfield radio tour.[3]

Glenn Miller Orchestra

During World War II, Kane was a member of Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Orchestra,[4] performing with them overseas for the duration of the war.[3]

The Crew Chiefs

Kane's military career originally saw him as a Private First Class officer in the US Army.[5] In 1943, Kane formed The Crew Chiefs[2] with Sergeant Steve Steck, Corporal Artie Malvin, and Privates Lynn Allison and Gene Steck.[6] Around the same time, his rank was changed to that of Corporal. His despondency at this move led him to compose "Have Ya Got Any Gum, Chum?",[5] quoting a popular phrase used between children and soldiers.[7] Kane left the group in 1945.[2]

Management career

After leaving The Crew Chiefs, Kane became a talent scout in New York City.[3] He managed and composed for the DeMarco Sisters and secured them as a permanent fixture on Fred Allen's radio show.

In 1950, Kane became the vocal arranger for The McGuire Sisters,[8] after hearing them perform on Kate Smith's radio show. Kane's compositions and arrangements helped the group secure an audition (and contract) at Decca Records.[8] Kane subsequently became their personal manager, and helped arrange their breakthrough performance on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts.[9] The group retired in 1968. Through his work with The McGuire Sisters, Kane also worked with The Kane Triplets, who later performed on The Jack Benny Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Perry Como Show and The Tonight Show.[10] In 1984, Kane restarted The McGuire Sisters' career with a song entitled "The Second Time Around".[3]

Later life and death

Kane moved to Las Vegas in 1975.[3] He died in Las Vegas on January 31, 1986 at the age of 70.[2][9]

References
  1. "Murray Kane: Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Death Record". GenealogyBank. NewsBank. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  2. Popa, Christopher (December 2004). "Glenn Miller Orchestras: Necrology". Glenn Miller: A Memorial - 1944-2004. Big Band Library. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  3. "Guide to Entertainment Industry Resources" (PDF). American Heritage Center. University of Wyoming. 2009-06-05. p. 75. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  4. Grudens, Richard (2004). Chattanooga Choo Choo: The Life and Times of the World Famous Glenn Miller. Celebrity Profiles Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-57579-277-4.
  5. Polic, Edward F (1989). The Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band: Sustineo Alas. 2. p. 1174. ISBN 978-0-8108-2269-6.
  6. Palmer, Hugh. "Crew Chiefs Singing Group". Glenn Miller: The Lost Recordings. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  7. Sutherland, Earl (2008). "81: Got Any Gum, Chum?". Just an 18 Year Old During World War II. p. 103. ISBN 978-1-4357-2026-8.
  8. "The McGuire Sisters Biography". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  9. "About McGuire Sisters". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Muze. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  10. "Biography". The Kane Triplets. Archived from the original on 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
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