Obituaries : Larry Shay, 90; Pop Song Writer
Composer Larry Shay, whose songs, including “When You’re Smiling (the Whole World Smiles With You),” were made famous by Frank Sinatra, Nat (King) Cole and Bing Crosby, died Monday in Newport Beach. He was 90.
Shay composed dozens of songs from the 1920s through the ‘60s. Among them were “Everywhere You Go,” “That’s Georgia,” “Sure As You’re Born,” “By the Light of the Stars” and musical versions of the 23rd Psalm and The Lord’s Prayer.
He began his music career in 1915 and organized a band in World War I that entertained Army troops.
After leaving the service he enrolled in a music conservatory before joining a publishing firm, where he did special arrangements for many popular artists of the day.
He went to work for MGM in the early 1930s as musical director for a variety of movies and then returned to New York to become program director for NBC radio, continuing to compose music.
Shay is survived by his wife, Doris; a daughter, a son, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
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