Jan Peerce

Jan Peerce. , Before Jan Peerce became one of the world's most renowned singers, he was Jacob Pincus Perelmuth from the Lower East Side who, as Pinky Pear, performed at Jewish weddings in New York City. Pierce was as comfortable singing Bach as he was the "Bluebird of Happiness," and at the age of 67 he was delighting Broadway audiences as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof., In 1932, Peerce was discovered by impresario Samuel L. (Roxy) Rothafel who hired him as a tenor soloist with his Radio City Music Hall company and who renamed him John Pierce (later changed to Jan Peerce). Arturo Toscanini called him his "favorite tenor" and they produced some of the best-recorded opera music of the 1940s and '50s together., Peerce came to sing several roles at the Met including Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Cavaradossi in Tosca and Don Jose in Carmen. He became America's own tenor, the self-effacing "favorite uncle" who dropped into your hometown regularly to sing. He also toured the world, becoming in 1956 the first American to perform at Moscow's Bolshoi Opera after World War II., Peerce gave much credit for his success to his wife, the former Alice Kalmanowitz, his childhood sweetheart from Orchard Street on the Lower East Side. He lived in New Rochelle for over 44 years at 370 Beechmont Drive overlooking Beechmont Lake. His family was active at Beth El Synagogue and his three children attended New Rochelle Public schools., Peerce's best-selling record was his 1945 RCA Victor recording of the "Bluebird of Happiness." It became his "signature tune" and was also the title of his memories published in 1976. As of the late 1970s, it is among the all-time best selling recordings by opera and concert singers. Jan Peerce was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the National Medal of Arts. His license plate read "DOREMI."