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Alan Copeland (1926–2022), last surviving member of the Modernaires

by Linnea Crowther

Alan Copeland was a singer with the Modernaires known for his appearances on “Your Hit Parade.”

Musical career

Copeland joined the vocal group the Modernaires in 1948 after serving in the U.S. Navy, remaining with them off and on through the mid-1960s. After the death of Paula Kelly Jr. in 2012, he was the last surviving member of the Modernaires, later transitioning the group into his own Alan Copeland Singers. Copeland frequently performed solo on the popular TV show “Your Hit Parade,” and later, he and the Modernaires were regulars on “The Red Skelton Hour.” Copeland co-wrote songs including the 1954 No. 1 hit “Make Love to Me.” In 1968, he won a Grammy Award for “Mission: Impossible/Norwegian Wood,” in which he paired the music of the hit TV theme song with the lyrics of the Beatles song. Copeland appeared with the Modernaires in “The Glenn Miller Story,” and he was featured on two episodes of “The Odd Couple” as a member of Felix’s band.

Tributes to Alan Copeland

In memory of Alan Copeland:

Posted by Bill Freytag on Saturday, December 31, 2022

Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter

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