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Ralph Blane
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ralph Blane Hunsecker (July 26, 1914 - November 13, 1995) was born in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, the son of Tracy and Florence Hunsecker. His parents ran a grocery store on Main Street there for many years.
With his partner, songwriter Hugh Martin, he penned many American standards for the stage and MGM musicals. Their best-loved songs include 'Meet Me in St. Louis' and 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'. One of their best known standards was 'The Trolley Song'; when called upon to write a song about trolleys, the two writers were stumped. When visiting a public library, they found a caption in a book, reading "Clang, clang, clang went the trolley", which formed the nucleus for the lyrics of their famous song.
Blane began his career in the 30s as a radio singer for NBC. He then performed in a few Broadway musicals. He and Martin teamed up in the early 40s. Their first songs together showed up in the Broadway musical 'Best Foot Forward' (1941); MGM adapted it for film in 1943. Their best-known musical remains 'Meet Me in St Louis' which became a classic on Broadway and in film. 'The Trolley Song' earned them their first Oscar nomination; their second came for 'Pass That Peace Pipe', which they wrote in conjunction with Roger Edens.
Blane also collaborated with composers including Harry Warren, Harold Arlen, and Kay Thompson.
Ralph Blane died on November 13, 1995.
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