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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 (Results 26-29 of 29 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
(Results 26-29 of 29 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Skylar, Sunny," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/344111.

Skylar, Sunny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/344111.

"Skylar, Sunny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/344111

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