Magruder, Charles (1929-23rd December 2011)

Bass singer born Charles Elmer Magruder born in Shelbina, Missouri, who served during the Korean War.

He worked for nearly 50 years as a studio singer and sang on several movie soundtracks and numerous TV commercials. He was also a member of the Robert Shaw Chorale, the Robert DeCormier Singers, the Ed Sullivan Singers and the Perry Como Ray Charles Singers.

He appeared in concert with Judy Garland during her seven-day reign at the Metropolitan Opera in May 1959 and went on to record on a variety of albums, including 1968’s A Perry Como Christmas and Judy Collins’ 1980 release, Running For My Life.

The advent of CD technology has insured Charles’ digital immortalization on albums such as Don’t Give the Name a Bad Place – Types and Stereotypes in Musical Theater 1870-1900 and Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album.

He has collaborated with Leonard Bernstein a couple of times, contributing his vocal talents to Bernstein’s Mass and Leonard Bernstein Conducts West Side Story, an operatic recreation of the hit musical. In 1995, he appeared as a member of the chorus in Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite.

Outside of his studio work he also served as the Director of Music for the Community Church of Smoke Rise for 23 years.

He passed away at home in Smoke Rise, Kennelon, New Jersey in 2011 when he was 82 years old.

Frank Sinatra recordings
That’s What God Looks Like To Me (Stan Irvin/Lan O’Kun)
Reprise RPS 49233 (XNY2101S) (US 45)

Theme from “New York, New York” (Fred Ebb/John Kander)
Reprise RPS49233 (XNY 2103 S) (US 45)

Here is “Give Peace a Chance” performed by Mitch Miller & The Gang which Charles sang on…

Sources:

Magruder, Charles (1929-23rd December 2011)

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