Kate Smith

She never married. Ed King went on to join Lynyrd Skynyrd and several members of Strawberry Alarm Clock reunited in the '80s to perform on oldies tours. Kate Smith was born in Greenville, Virginia, and died of diabetes at the age of 79 in Raleigh, North Carolina. In various forms the group managed to keep performing until 1971, when the band finally broke up. In 1982, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan. Although the group followed up with more LPs in 1968 (The World in a Seashell) and 1969 (Good Morning Starshine) the band had begun to fall apart and the audience was mostly gone. In 1987, the team erected a statue of Smith outside their arena in her memory. Gary Lovetro left the band before the second album, Wake Up It's Tomorrow, (also 1967).

She again performed the song prior to the May 1974 game in which the Flyers clinched the Stanley Cup, and would do so on later occasions as well. Bunnell would also become their main songwriter. Membership changes were many. In 1973 she made a surprise appearance at the Flyers' home opener to perform the song in person, and received a tremendous reception. After that success the band added George Bunnell (bass and rhythm guitar) before making their first LP in 1967. The perception developed that the team was more successful on these occasions, and the tradition grew. Interestingly, on their first and most famous single, "Incense and Peppermints," lead vocals were sung by Greg Munford, a 16-year-old friend of the band. An unusual part of her career began in 1969, when the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team began playing her recording of "God Bless America" before occasional games. The group originally consisted of Ed King (lead guitar), Mark Weitz (keyboards), Lee Freeman (guitar), Gary Lovetro (bass), and Randy Seol (drums).

Lou Costello and Henny Youngman received their big breaks on The Kate Smith Variety Hour. Strawberry Alarm Clock was a psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles, best known for their 1967 hit "Incense and Peppermints" and their appearance in the film Beyond The Valley of the Dolls. She had a successful radio career with several of her own shows, the last ending in 1960. It has been suggested that Kate was the inspiration for the saying "It ain't over till the fat lady sings". Her overweight figure was the occasional butt of derision from fellow performers and managers.

Her theme song was "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain", the lyrics of which she helped write. Kate began making records in 1926; among her biggest hits were "River, Stay 'Way From My Door" (1931), "The Woodpecker Song" (1940), "The White Cliffs of Dover" (1941), "Rose O'Day" (1941), "I Don't Want to Walk Without You" (1942), "There Goes That Song Again" (1944), "Seems Like Old Times" (1946), and "Now Is the Hour" (1947). She starred in the 1932 movie Hello Everybody! with co-stars Randolph Scott and Sally Blane, and in 1943 she sang "God Bless America" in the Irving Berlin picture This is the Army. Its popularity and constant airplay led Woody Guthrie to pen the original version of "This Land Is Your Land" in protest at the Berlin tune's unquestioning complacency. Her musical career began in earnest when she was discovered in 1930 by Columbia Records vice president Ted Collins, who became her longtime partner and manager and who put her on the radio in 1931.

She was one of America's most beloved entertainers, with a radio, TV and recording career that spanned five decades. She greeted audiences with Hello, everybody! and signed off with Thanks for listenin' . Kate Smith (Kathryn Elizabeth Smith) (May 1, 1907–June 17, 1986) was an American singer best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America".