Hugh Shannon

b. 1921, De Soto, Missouri, USA, d. 1982, New York City, New York, USA. Of Irish descent, Shannon was raised by his grandparents after his mother died in childbirth and his teenage father was unable to cope. He took singing and piano lessons from early childhood. While attending the University of Southern California, he played in a campus club. After military service in the US Navy during World War II, he wound up in New York City where he met Billie Holiday who encouraged him to become a singer. He took her advice and began working in bars, gradually developing his skills unt...