Ralph Blane

Ralph Blane, born Ralph Uriah Hunsecker on July 26, 1914, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was an American composer, lyricist, and Broadway performer. He died on November 13, 1995, and is buried at Park Grove Cemetery in Broken Arrow.

Blane received his early education at Tulsa Central High School before relocating to New York City, where he studied singing with Estelle Liebling. He launched his professional career as a radio singer for NBC during the 1930s, which led to his transition into Broadway performance. His stage appearances included New Faces of 1936, Hooray for What! in 1937, and Louisiana Purchase in 1940.

In 1940, Blane and his friend Hugh Martin formed a vocal quartet called The Martins, which performed on radio and in nightclubs. The partnership soon evolved into a songwriting collaboration. Together, Martin and Blane wrote the music and lyrics for Best Foot Forward in 1941 and Three Wishes for Jamie in 1952, and they contributed extensively to MGM film musicals. Their most celebrated work came from the 1944 film musical Meet Me in St. Louis, for which they wrote "The Boy Next Door," "The Trolley Song," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." The inspiration for "The Trolley Song" came from a library visit, where the pair discovered the caption "Clang, clang, clang went the trolley" in a book, which became the foundation of the lyric. The song earned Martin and Blane their first Academy Award nomination. A second Oscar nomination followed for "Pass That Peace Pipe," written with Roger Edens for the 1947 film adaptation of Good News. Meet Me in St. Louis was later adapted into a Broadway musical in 1989, and Blane received a Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score in 1990 in connection with that production.

Beyond his work with Martin, Blane collaborated with composers and lyricists including Harry Warren, Harold Arlen, and Kay Thompson. In 1983, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1991, Blane performed "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" at Walt Disney World's Christmas Candlelight Processional at The Magic Kingdom, with George Kennedy narrating the Christmas Story during the same performances.