Wayne Shanklin

Who was Wayne Shanklin?

Wayne Shanklin was an American music performer, composer, arranger, and producer.

Shanklin wrote several hit songs including "Primrose Lane", recorded by Jerry Wallace and "Jezebel", recorded by Frankie Laine in 1951 and covered by Australian teenage guitar prodigy Rob E.G. in 1963, as well as by Herman's Hermits in 1967.

Shanklin's best-known composition is the song "Chanson D'Amour". It was first recorded in 1958 in two competing versions by Art and Dotty Todd and The Fontane Sisters, both of which were successful. It was later covered by The Lettermen in the 1960s and was revived with great success by vocal jazz quartet The Manhattan Transfer in 1976.

Young Wayne Shanklin had a family of 11 children, the last of whom was born in 1944 in the Los Angeles area. These children used his name and assumed their mother was married to Mr. Shanklin.

Shanklin founded the independent record label Signet Records in Los Angeles in 1959. His secretary, Victoria Hamway, worked right alongside him and in 1964, they were married. On August 31, 1965, born to Wayne and Vicki Shanklin, was his youngest boy of many children, Edward "Windsor" Shanklin. Though Windsor his only child with Vicki.