Don Cherry

with Neil Daniels

Cherry's Jubilee

Triumph Books 2006

            Don Cherry is the only person who ever had a song in the Top 10 on the Hit Parade (the 1956 hit Band Of Gold) and finished in the Top 10 at the U.S. Open at the same time. Cherry has reaped the successes of both the music industry and professional golf. In fact, Cherry's life has been for the most part, a "jubilee." With that sentiment in mind, "Mr. Band of Gold" has recently published his autobiography, Cherry's Jubilee: Singin' And Swingin' Through Life With Dino And Frank, Arnie And Jack (Triumph Books 2006). Co-written with Neil Daniels, the title refers to Cherry's close associations with Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, as well as a slue of other celebrities including close friends Willie Nelson, Phil Harris, Vic Damone,  Jimmy Dean, Peggy Lee, Jimmy Demaret, Mickey Mantle, and Ben Hogan - all of whom have colored and shaded his more than amazing life.

Cherry, who turns 83 on January 11, reminisces with tender and often times humorous candor about his humble beginnings growing up in Wichita Falls, TX, his fascination with golf and his rise to the amateur and pro golf arenas, his break through as a recording artist with the Decca, Columbia, and Monument record labels, his five marriages and the countless accolades he's received over the years.

The 292-page hardcover book flows gently and easily, reflective of Cherry's laid back demeanor. It's a fun read. It's no wonder that Cherry is well-admired and respected in both the music and sports worlds.

This is not your run-of-the-mill-Hollywood-tabloid-type-kiss-n-tell story. While Cherry discloses his peccadilloes and embraces his character defects with honesty, he still remains "Mr. Clean" in the eyes of his adoring fans. From 1956 to 1966, Cherry was the voice behind the Mr. Clean household cleaning product for Proctor and Gamble on television and radio. It's actually an accurate description of the man himself as he can honestly say he never drank or smoked his entire life.

While many of the famous that Cherry rubbed shoulders with are now just memories, he has emerged as a legend in his own right during a period when tastes in American music were shifting and when professional athletes plied their trade, for the most, for the love of the game itself.

The good news through all of this is that Cherry is still singing (and singing fabulously!) and still swinging on golf courses. His memoirs give readers a bird's eye view of the life of this celebrated golfer who sang his way to the top!

- Stephen Fratallone/Jazz Connection Magazine

Rating:  ****

To order Cherry's Jubilee, log on to Don Cherry's websites at www.doncherrysinger.com  and  www.doncherry.us  

*****