Bob Grabeau

Bob Grabeau (November 14 1926 - June 8 2008) was born Robert F. Grabot in Pittsburg, California. He was a noted vocalist and Big Band recording artist. He also coached a number of actors in the art of professional singing (Kristy McNichol, Scott Baio, Phillip McKeon and others) in his own career, which began at the age of 15 when he was given his own radio show in San Francisco. Jan Garber noticed his talents and offered Bob the position of chief vocalist, which led to a recording contract with the Capitol Records label. Bob toured the country with the Garber orchestra and was in high demand for recording demonstration songs in Hollywood for Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini and others. Bob did one such demo for the song "Nature Boy" from the 1948 motion picture "The Boy with Green Hair" Bob Grabeau's silky voice was in the same vein as the voice of Nat King Cole such that when Cole eventually recorded the song many couldn't tell the two singers apart. Bob Grabeau collaborated with film composers Sammy Fain, Alfred Newman, Jule Styne, Nelson Riddle and Dimitri Tiomkin on various motion picture projects. On television he was featured on ABC's "Music Is My Beat" and "Strictly Informal". Other TV work included songs for "Beggarman Thief", "Kill Me If You Can", and "The Last Convertible". By 1997, the slowly advancing effects of Alzheimer's Disease led to the cancellation of Bob's major contribution to a proposed documentary on the Big Band resurgence (to be titled "The Street of Dreams"). Bob Grabeau passed away from complications due to Alzheimer's on June 8 2008 at the Motion Picture Home in Los Angeles County, California.