"Queen of Tin Pan Alley"
1901 - 2000

Close Your Eyes

"I never was pals with the other women composers, or even the male ones. I had a private life...only a couple of music executives ever got what I called 'fresh' with me, and I let them have it, smack in the face like you never saw."

This scrappy, let's get down to business attitude surely characterizes composer and lyricist Bernice Petkere (pronounced Pet-care). She began her show business career early, at age 5 on the Pantages Vaudeville Circuit. Paired up with an aunt, she held up her end of a duo called 'Baby Dolls'. The early push to the stage seemed to suit her very well, as she stayed in show business much of her life.

Bernice studied voice at the Henshaw Conservatory of Music in Chicago, then taught herself to play piano as a teenager. Self taught or no, she was good enough to secure work as a pianist in the music publishing firm of Waterson, Berlin and Snyder in New York...

Click to read the full bio of Bernice Petkere...

"Lullaby of the Leaves" - Art Tatum, Connee Boswell (1932, lovely vocal), Chet Atkins (Hi-Fi in Focus), The Ventures 1961 (a big hit for them, and fantastic; surf guitar meets jazz.)

"Close Your Eyes"- Kurt Elling (brilliant), Ella Fitzgerald, Queen Latifah (as Dana Owens)