James Last

James Last, also known as Hansi, was a German composer and big band leader of the James Last Orchestra. Initially a jazz bassist, his trademark "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom, with 65 of his albums reaching the charts in the UK alone. His composition "Happy Heart" became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark.

17 April 1929

Born on the same birth day (17 April): Chris Barber • Doug Lewis (politician) • Eric Brewer (ice hockey) • Gary Bennett (baseball) • Gerry McNeil • Helenio Herrera • Hervé Bazin • Joe Foss • Johann David Heinichen • John Robertson (Glasgow MP) • Louis Jean Heydt • Mikael Åkerfeldt • Nicolas Nabokov • Nigel Emslie, Lord Emslie • Paul Nicholls (horse racing) • Ryujin (rapper) • Sherrie Levine • Todd Lickliter • Win Maung

Born in the same month (April 1929): Adrian Cadbury • André Previn • Bob Denard • Fazlur Rahman Khan • Fred Hollows • Gérald Beaudoin • Jane Powell • Jonathan Haze • Mahmoud Mollaghasemi • Max von Sydow • Michael Atiyah • Mike Hawthorn • Milan Kundera • Mukhran Machavariani • Nigel Hawthorne • Nina Ponomaryova • Paule Marshall • Payut Ngaokrachang • Poul Schlüter • Richard Mitchell • Roy Hamilton • Sharan Rani Backliwal • Willis Hall