GARDEN GROVE, California (AP) — Songwriter Jean Dinning, who wrote the teen tragedy hit “Teen Angel,” has died. She was 86.
Daughter Cynthia Wygal tells the Orange County Register that her mother died Feb. 22 in Garden Grove.
Dinning’s brother Mark performed “Teen Angel,” which is about a girl who dies tragically. A couple’s car stalls on railroad tracks and they safely get out, but the girl runs back to get the boy’s high school class ring and a train hits the car.The song was released in October 1959 and it became an instant hit.
Dinning is survived by her sisters Ginger and Dolores; children Shay Edwards, Cynthia Wygal, Howard Mack, Ronald Surrey and David Surrey; eight grandchildren; and eight great grandchildren.
A memorial service is planned May 21 in Nashville, Tennessee.
2 comments:
Oddly enough, this has some resonance for me and my extended family, so much so that I was compelled to share your link on the Facebook.
Though I did not ever care for this song, it was once sung at our annual family picnic by an extraordinarily inebriated favorite cousin, with dramatic gestures such that no one could believe he could remain standing throughout, whereupon it became an instant tradition.
I have to say that it is weird to think that the author of this song has just died, though. Seems like such a long-ago thing.
My navel-gazing notwithstanding, thanks for passing along the news.
An Eternity Ago Editor Figures:
Apparently navel-gazing is allowed in web logs.
And now we want to get plowed & sing it (w/ gestures) at the next wake we attend.
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