Bernie Wayne
Bernie Wayne, born Bernard Weitzner on March 6, 1919, in Paterson, New Jersey, was a prolific American composer known for his significant contributions to popular music and commercial jingles. Over his career, he wrote more than 1,000 songs. Wayne is best remembered for the classic hit "Blue Velvet," co-written with Lee Morris, which became a number one hit for Bobby Vinton in the 1960s and was featured in David Lynch's 1986 film of the same name. Another notable composition by Wayne is "There She Is," the iconic theme song of the Miss America pageant starting in 1955.
Wayne's career spanned various facets of the music industry, including work for Broadway musicals and Hollywood productions. He also served as an artists and repertoire director at 20th Century Fox Records, where he produced soundtracks for films such as "Zorba the Greek" and "A Patch of Blue." Additionally, he crafted memorable instrumental novelty melodies in the Easy Listening genre, exemplified by pieces like "The Magic Touch" and "Vanessa."
His work in commercial music included the popular jingle for Chock full o'Nuts coffee, known as the "heavenly coffee" tune. Wayne was married to Phyllis Michelle and passed away from heart failure on April 18, 1993, in Marina del Rey, California, at the age of 74.
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