Ruth Olay (1924–2021), jazz singer of the 1950s and ‘60s

Ruth Olay was a jazz singer who worked with notable musicians including and .

C.T. Vivian (1924–2020), civil rights leader who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rev. C.T. Vivian was one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, who worked alongside to organize sit-ins and marches in the pursuit of equality.

Irving Burgie (1924–2019), “Day-O” songwriter

Irving Burgie  wrote the calypso song “Day-O” (aka “The Banana Boat Song”) which became a huge hit for singer Harry Belafonte in 1956. Burgie, who went by the name Lord Burgess, co-wrote the song with William Attaway, based on a traditional Jamaican folk song. “Day-O” spent 31 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart and later was featured in a popular scene in the movie “Beetlejuice.” He wrote many more calypso songs for Belafonte including “Island in the Sun.” Burgie was a member of an all-black unit in the Army during World War II. After the war, he worked the folk music circuit in Greenwich Village and then began writing for Belafonte. His mother was a native of Barbados and Burgie wrote the country’s national anthem. He was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.

Lola Albright (1924 - 2017), Peter Gunn actress

Actress and singer Lola Albright earned an Emmy nomination for her work on TV's "Peter Gunn."

Robert Horton (1924 - 2016), Wagon Train star

Robert Horton, an actor who was most well-known for starring on television Westerns including "Wagon Train," has died. Horton, who was 91, died March 9 at a clinic in Los Angeles, California. No cause of death was available. From 1957 to 1962, Horton played Flint McCullough on "Wagon Train" alongside Ward Bond. After he left the show, he pursued a successful career in musical theater, most notably "110 in the Shade," an adaptation of N. Richard Nash's play "The Rainmaker." Horton returned to television to play an amnesiac on the Western series "A Man Called Shenandoah."

Mary Ford, the Voice Behind Les Paul

Mary Ford became famous for her groundbreaking duets with musician and inventor Les Paul. On what would have been her 87th birthday, we look back at her life and singing career...