Buddy Pepper

American composer, arranger and actor. Born April 21, 1922 in La Grange, Kentucky Died February 7, 1993 in Sherman Oaks, California. He was one of three writers of the song "Vaya Con Dios" (the others were Inez James and Larry Russell), which has been recorded over 500 times. He charted in the U.S. 6 times, 5 with "Vaya Con Dios". Les Paul & Mary Ford hit #1 in the U.S. with their version of "Maya Con Dios" in 1953. His other charted song was "Sorry" by by Frank Sinatra and the Modernaires. At the age of 5 years old, he became a self-taught pianist and, in addition to his abilities to sing and dance, he used his gift for playing songs by ear to entertain audiences both locally and abroad alongside his partner Florence Krauss (who went by Florence Pepper in the act "Buddy and Florence Pepper"). He won a Major Bowes Amateur Hour national radio contest at age 13 and went into vaudeville. He began attracting Louisville audiences at a young age by way of vaudeville and his own radio show on WHAS. Buddy made his debut in Hollywood in the late 1930s Later, he became the pianist for many, including Judy Garland, Margaret Whiting, Lisa Kirk, Jack Smith, Marlene Dietrich, and others.