ROSS BAGDASARIAN (SR.)
Ross Bagdasarian (January 27, 1919 – January 16, 1972) was an American pianist, musician, actor, and record producer of Armenian descent. Otherwise known by his stage name David Seville, Bagdasarian was the creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks and the founder of Bagdasarian Productions (formerly Bagdasarian Film Corporation). (More from Wikipedia)
Rosemary Clooney had a long singing career in the years leading up to the rock and roll revolution. Her breakthrough hit, “Come on-a My House” in 1951 was co-written by two Armenian American cousins, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Saroyan and Ross Bagdasarian. Bagdasarian, under his stage name David Seville went on to great fame by experimenting with recordings using speeded-up vocals. The first result was a #1 hit in the summer of 1958 called “Witch Doctor” – remember “Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang, walla walla, bing bang, ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang, walla walla, bing bang”? He is best known of course for creating Alvin and the Chipmunks, whose popularity continues to the present day.
(June 2013/1)
