Don Cherry

Donald Ross Cherry was born in Wichita Falls, Texas on January 11, 1924. He became a singer and one of America's top amateur golfers. He served stateside in the Army Air Forces during World War II. He started his show business career in his early 20s as a big-band singer, then turned to the recording studio. His hit songs included Band of Gold, Thinking of You, Mona Lisa, Vanity, and Belle, Belle, My Liberty Belle. He appeared on radio and TV variety shows and performed in Las Vegas. He was the voice of the animated character Mr. Clean in TV detergent commercials during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He collaborated with Willie Nelson on several albums. Before capturing the 1953 Canadian Amateur Championship, Cherry won many small amateur golf tournaments in Texas. He also played on three victorious Walker Cup teams. He turned pro in 1962. His memoir, Cherry's Jubilee written with Neil T. Daniels, was published in 2006. He died on April 4, 2018 at the age of 94.