‘50s Music Icon Quietly Died Three Years Ago, Daughter Now Reveals originally appeared on Parade. While some legends go out with a bang, others leave this world as softly as a whisper. Musical icon ...

Cortez scored the first instrumental to top the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959 with his high-energy electronic organ hit "The Happy Organ." By Gil Kaufman Dave “Baby” Cortez, a piano player and songwriter ...

His “The Happy Organ” reached No. 1 in 1959, but his pop stardom was short-lived, and his death in 2022, with an anonymous burial, remains a source of mystery. By Alex Williams It’s not that Dave ...

Most smash instrumentals prior to "The Happy Organ" were easy listening fare. "Organ" was pitched to a younger audience. By Paul Grein Forever No. 1 is a Billboard series that pays special tribute to ...

While some legends go out with a bang, others leave this world as softly as a whisper. Musical icon Dave "Baby" Cortez chose the latter, a passing that served as a stark contrast to the jubilant, ...