BALLYGOWAN FLUTE BAND

Henry Mancini was born on 16 April 1924 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA to Italian parents. He received flute lessons from the age of eight and piano lessons from twelve, and at 19 joined the Juillard School of Music. His musical career had to take a break when he was drafted into the army and he joined the famous Glenn Millar Orchestra. He later went into films and wrote a great number of songs and scores including The Glenn Millar Story and The Benny Goodman Story, and songs for most of the American Artists of his time e.g. Connie Francis, Trini Lopez, Johnny Mathis, Paul Anka, Andy Williams and Matt Munro.
Mancini also performed in hundreds of symphony performances and conducted nearly all the leading symphony orchestras of the world.
He died on 14 June 1994 and left this world with a legacy of wonderful music. In his life time he received 4 Oscars, 20 Grammy Awards and 9 Academy Awards.

Speedy Gonzales was an instrumental number in Henry Mancini’s 1961 album Mr. Lucky Goes Latin. It was one of the world championship test pieces in 2011.