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Sunny Skylar

Sunny Skylar (October 11, 1913 – February 2, 2009) was an American composer, singer, lyricist, and music publisher. He was born Selig Sidney Shaftel in Brooklyn, New York, one of four children, to Sarah and Jacob Shaftel (or Schaftel), Jewish immigrants from Russia. His father sold knit goods. In the 1940s, he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was a headliner at hotels such as The Flamingo and the El Rancho, among others.

As a singer, he appeared with a number of big bands, including those led by Ben Bernie, Paul Whiteman, Abe Lyman, George Hall and Vincent Lopez. It was Lopez who changed the singer's professional name from Sonny Schuyler to Sunny Skylar. After the end of the big band era, Skylar continued to sing in nightclubs and theaters until 1952.

He was married four times: Joyce Coleman, 1942, Manhattan, NY; Christine Belanger, 1969, Las Vegas, NV (divorced, 1971); Jari Dee Rheinick, 1974, Las Vegas, NV (divorced after one month); Jacqueline Marlene Williams Trent, 1979, Las Vegas, NV; to whom he remained married until her death in 2008).

He died in Las Vegas on February 2, 2009 and was buried in Davis Memorial Park, Las Vegas. His grave marker shows his name as Sunny Skylar.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 11, 1913 (Brooklyn), Died February 2, 2009 (Las Vegas)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1955

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, composer, lyricist, vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor PBS-042538 10-in. 2/24/1940 How did I know Vincent Lopez ; Sunny Skylar ; Suave Swing Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-075660 10-in. 12/8/1942 Move it over Ethel Merman Female vocal solo, with male vocal quintet composer  
Victor E0VB-3649 10-in. 5/19/1950 Little Liza Lou Spade Cooley ; Hal Derwin ; Spade Cooley Orchestra Male vocal solo, with vocal quartet and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D5VB-0026 10-in. 1/8/1945 I miss your kiss Kaydets ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye ; Billy Williams [1913-2001] Male vocal solo, with female vocal quintet and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D5VB-0050 10-in. 1/22/1945 Bottoms up (a clap hands song) Kaye Choir ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Vocal chorus, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D5VB-0297 10-in. 6/11/1945 Gotta be this or that Kaye Choir ; Nancy Norman ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Female vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance composer  
Victor D5VB-0595 10-in. 9/5/1945 Are these really mine? Norton Sisters ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with female vocal group and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D5VB-0806 10-in. 10/25/1945 Put that ring on my finger Meredith Blake ; New Music [Shep Fields] ; Bob Stewart Female-male vocal duet, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D5VB-0821 10-in. 11/5/1945 Amor Dick Leibert Instrumental ensemble, with oboe solo lyricist  
Victor D5VB-1310 10-in. 12/20/1945 Don't you remember me? Johnny Desmond ; Russ Case Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D5VB-1313 10-in. 12/22/1945 Atlanta, GA. Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye ; Billy Williams [1913-2001] Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-1566 10-in. 1/15/1946 A little consideration Helen Carroll ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Female vocal solo, with vocal group and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D6VB-1567 10-in. 1/15/1946 Love is so terrific (Ouch! Terrific thing) Helen Carroll ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Female vocal solo, with vocal group and instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor D6VB-1737 10-in. 4/27/1946 Whatta ya gonna do Louis Armstrong Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-2061 10-in. 4/29/1946 I'd be lost without you Betty Jane Rhodes ; Russ Case Orchestra Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D6VB-2074 10-in. 5/19/1946 Wherever there's me, there's you The Four Hits ; Betty Hutton ; Joe Lilley Orchestra Female vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-2801 10-in. 9/6/1946 It's all over now Charlie Spivak Orchestra ; Jimmy Saunders Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-3019 10-in. 10/16/1946 I used to work in Chicago Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Jazz/dance band, with vocal solos and vocal chorus lyricist  
Victor D6VB-3120 10-in. 10/19/1946 You'll always be the one I love Charles Dant Orchestra ; Betty Jane Rhodes Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D7VB-1481 10-in. 8/8/1947 It all came true Beryl Davis Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Victor D7VB-1764 10-in. 10/20/1947 Song of New Orleans Larry Green ; Larry Green Orchestra Vocal trio, with jazz/dance band composer  
Victor D7VB-2076 10-in. 11/14/1947 I still love you Kaye Choir ; Sammy Kaye ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Recitation, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D7VB-2152 10-in. 12/3/1947 I'm a-rollin' Roy Rogers Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-2190 10-in. 12/12/1947 Ready, set, go! Count Basie Orchestra ; Jeanne Taylor Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D8VB-3883 10-in. 7/23/1948 Hair of gold Drugstore Cowboys ; Jack Lathrop Male vocal quartet, with ukulele and 4 harmonicas composer  
Victor D8VB-4100 10-in. 12/21/1948 Don't hang around Drugstore Cowboys ; Jack Lathrop Male vocal solo, with mixed vocal trio and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D9AB-2177 10-in. 8/18/1949 You're breaking my heart Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Decca 87256 1/5/1955 I do, I do Sunny Skylar vocalist  
Decca 87257 1/5/1955 Sometime Sunny Skylar vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Skylar, Sunny," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/344111.

Skylar, Sunny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/344111.

"Skylar, Sunny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/344111

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