Pop Icon of the ’50s, Guy Mitchell, Dies at 72

Guy Mitchell, the upbeat pop singer who became a household name in the early 1950s with a string of cheerful, chart-topping songs, died on Thursday, July 1, 1999, at Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas. He was 72. His wife, Betty Mitchell, said the cause was complications following surgery.

Born Albert George Cernik, Mitchell sold over 44 million records during his career, including six million singles. He was best known for catchy, feel-good hits like Singing the Blues and Heartaches by the Number, which helped define the sound of postwar pop. With his clean-cut image and friendly style, he embodied the all-American “boy next door” at a time when audiences craved wholesome, easy-listening entertainers.

Mitchell’s personal life included four marriages. He was first wed to Jackie Loughery, a former Miss USA, and later to Elsa Sorensen, a former Miss Denmark. His third marriage, to 19-year-old waitress Kathryn Ann Evensen in 1966, was short-lived, lasting only a few months. He spent the last 25 years of his life married to Betty Mitchell, who was by his side at the time of his death.

He lived in Las Vegas in his later years, where he remained a beloved figure among fans of classic pop and early rock ‘n’ roll.