Singer Dick Noel, who was known as “The King of the Jingles,” has passed away at age 90.
He died on Friday in Escondido, California after battling a long illness. Noel’s friend, Hank Jones, confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter.
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Noel served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He then went on to tour the country with the Ray Anthony Orchestra in the late ’40s. He sang on several hit songs such as “Count Every Star.”
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One of his most highly-regarded albums was the 1978 record A Time for Love. It was a collaboration with pianist Larry Novak and featured renditions of ballads such as “Send in the Clowns” and “Here’s That Rainy Day.”
He hosted several radio programs and sang regularly on The Ruth Lyons Show in Cincinnati. He also joined Don McNeill’s popular Breakfast Club, for which he was the lead singer.
Noel’s first television appearances came on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts at CBS in 1962. He later became a featured performer on The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show on ABC.
After leaving Ford’s program in 1965, Noel went on to sing a number of national TV and radio commercials. He was said to have recorded 15,000 jingles including spots for United Airlines and McDonald’s.
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Noel is survived by his wife of 40 years, Nancy, his daughters, Patricia and Catherine, and his stepchildren Ken, Cliff and Laura.
