Already a celebrated swing singer and orchestra conductor, Louie Prima added his signature voice to memorable The Jungle Book (1967) hits such as "I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)".
Among his many accolades, with such recordings as "Jump Jive And Wail" written by Prima in 1939, and " Just A Gigolo"/"I Ain't Got Nobody" , recorded in 1957, he is considered by many as one of the founding fathers of rock 'n roll.
Brother of Leon Prima.
Brother-in-law of Madeline Prima.
His music transcends many genres, he wrote with Barbara Belle and Anita Leonard, the standard "A Sunday Kind of Love", a hit for Ella Fitzgerald in 1947 and later many others from The Harptones in 1953 (Do Wop) to Reba McEntire in 1988 (Country and Pop).
Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1993.
While undergoing surgery for the removal of a brain tumor in 1975, he went into a coma (which he stayed until his death).
Will received, posthumously, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011 [June 17, 2010].
Wrote and first recorded the Benny Goodman jazz standard "Sing Sing Sing.".