Fact #161513
When:
Short story:
Jimmy Kennedy, composer of the lyric to the song The Teddy Bears’ Picnic, as well as standards including South Of The Border and Red Sails In The Sunset, dies aged 81 in Cheltenham, England, UK, Europe.Full article:
Bill Martin (songwriter, composer of Congratulations) : Jimmy Kennedy, who wrote My Prayer and South Of The Border, was an old songwriter friend of mine He been the aide de camp to Dennis Thatcher during the war and, when he died, Dennis Thatcher gave the eulogy.
Some time later, I actually got invited to 10 Downing Street to meet Mrs Thatcher and when I finally got to talk to her, I mentioned this to her. Then we got talking about what I did, so I told her about writing Congratulations, and she said, ‘That must be wonderful’ and I said, “Not as wonderful as hearing it being played when our brave lads were sailing up and down the Solent,’ and then she said, ‘You didn’t get your picture taken, did you?’ so we had our picture taken together.
(Source : interview with Johnny Black, September 2008)
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Some time later, I actually got invited to 10 Downing Street to meet Mrs Thatcher and when I finally got to talk to her, I mentioned this to her. Then we got talking about what I did, so I told her about writing Congratulations, and she said, ‘That must be wonderful’ and I said, “Not as wonderful as hearing it being played when our brave lads were sailing up and down the Solent,’ and then she said, ‘You didn’t get your picture taken, did you?’ so we had our picture taken together.
(Source : interview with Johnny Black, September 2008)