Artie Shaw (Arthur Jacob Arshawsky) 
                            (May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004)

Shaw was a clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. He was also a author
who wrote both fiction and non-fiction short stories. Shaw had long been
suffering from diabetes.

Shaw led one of the most popular big bands in the late 1930s through
the early 1940s. Their signature song, a 1938 version of Cole Porter‘s
"Begin the Beguine", was a wildly successful single. He retired from the
music business in 1954.

Mike Gracia

Joan Henrietta Collins is a British born actress, author and columnist who 
at age 22, headed to Hollywood and landed sultry roles in films such as
The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) and Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys! 
(1958).

Collins also protrayed Alexis Carrington Colby, the role for which she is
perhaps best known, in the long-running prime-time ABC television
soap opera Dynasty (1981-1989).

Freddie Milano (August 26, 1939 – January 1, 2012) was second
tenor of The Belmonts. 

The Belmonts from left: Fred Milano, Dion DiMucci,
and Angelo D’Aleo.

      Ernie K-Doe (Ernest Kador, Jr.) (February 22, 1936 – July 5, 2001)

"Mother-in-Law" was written and produced by Allen Toussaint (below) who 
also played the piano solo. After several unsuccessful takes, a discouraged
Toussaint balled the composition up and threw it away as he was leaving the
studio. One of the backup singers, Willie Hopper, thought that it was such a
good song that he convinced K-Doe to calm down and give it one more try.

Allen Toussaint turned 75 in January