Guy Lombardo

• Born 19 June 1902, London, Ontario, Canada
• Died 5 November 1977, Houston, Texas

Lombardo's rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" for years played at the stroke of midnight on the New Years Eve broadcast from Times Square in New York. Guy and his three brothers, Liebert, Victor, and Carmen first started as a family band in London, Ontario in the early 1920s. Guy was the leader and soon the band was billed under his name. The Lombardo band was solidly mainstream, occasionally dabbling in light classical ("Tales from the Vienna Woods") or risking something as wild as swing. A saxophone-heavy sound was the signature of the Royal Canadians, used to humorous effect in one of their biggest hits, "Boo Hoo."

For over 40 years, it kept up a steady string of engagements and recordings, with most of the hits coming in the 1930s and 1940s. Although his music was entirely conventional, Lombardo himself was a bit of a daredevil, competing as a speedboat driver. The band's cover of "The Third Man Theme" was the top-selling recording of this tune.