Buddy Pepper

Biography

Buddy Pepper was a multi-talented American artist born Jack Retherford Starkey on April 21, 1922. As a songwriter and composer, he penned the top tune of 1953 "Vaya Con Dios," recorded over 500 times, and wrote titles for films like Mister Big (1943) and Pillow Talk (1959), which won an Oscar. A skilled pianist and vocal coach, Pepper worked with stars Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, and Doris Day, among others.