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): Billy Fury • Chavela Vargas • Demetrios Petrokokkinos • Frank McDonough • Giovanni Battista Riccioli • Heidi Alexander • John Ford (dramatist) • John McCririck • Katrin Koov • Nicolas Nabokov • Richie Woodhall • Ryan Raburn • Victor Lownes

Born in the same month (April 1929): André Previn • Fazlur Rahman Khan • George Steiner • Inez Andrews • Paule Marshall • Peter Sculthorpe • Renzo De Felice • Richard Mitchell • Robert Wade-Gery • Walter Kempowski