|
|
|
Tweet this article !
As you all know by now, legendary singer Margaret Whiting passed away on January 10th at the age of 86, at the Lillian Booth Nursing Home, which is part of the Actors' Fund Home in Englewood, New Jersey.
Since then, much has been written about Margaret, all highlighting a remarkable career that began in her teens and continued into her 80’s; her recordings, her work in theatre and television, her father, her relationship with Johnny Mercer, her marriages, her Uncle Jerry (Jerome Kern), her awards, her love of and dedication to the Great American Songbook, “Those Whiting Girls” and just how that “Good Ship Lollipop” came to be.
I met Margaret Whiting in a round-about way, through her late husband, Jack Wrangler. I was working with Jack on a show, and one day, he introduced me to his great love, Margaret Whiting. She seemed to take a liking to me then and there, and I have no clue why. Maybe it was because I was funny. 
Maybe it was because I was short. Who knows; who cares. My “Yonkele” (as I always called Jack) had given me a glorious gift; the gift of getting to know “Maggie” Whiting.
In 1983, when Curt Davis, Erv Raible, Marty Schaeffer, Stan Martin and I formed MAC, we were a business organization, with no performers as members, except for Margaret. She was to head up a group of diverse and talented performers to help club owners, managers and agents understand their needs. She did that and more. She worked endlessly to make sure that all performers received a fare shake and that club owners didn’t take advantage of young, new talent, all the while continuing to perform. I do remember one night at Freddie’s Supper Club, when the wireless mic picked up some taxi cab calls right in the middle of “Moonlight in Vermont,” and she kept on singing!
And that was Margaret, with her great laugh and her great sense of humor. She was always asking how you were, how you were doing; always interested, concerned and caring about other people. I hope she knew how much we all loved and cared about her.
Margaret, I am proud & honored to have called you my friend. And please, give my love to Yonkele!
Margaret’s daughter, Deborah Whiting, has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Johnny Mercer Foundation, c/o Prager & Fenton, 675 Third Avenue New York, NY, 10010
