Jack Jones, ‘Love Boat’ theme song crooner, dies at 86

Grammy-winning singer Jack Jones, the voice behind the theme of TV’s The Love Boat, died Wednesday night, his manager, Milton B. Suchin, confirmed to Entertainment Weekly. He was 86.

“Jack Jones passed away last night at 9:17 pm at Eisenhower Hospital [in Rancho Mirage, Calif.] after battling Leukemia for well over 2 years,” Suchin said in a statement. “He passed peacefully holding hands with his wife Eleonora and his beloved toy poodle – Ivy.”

Jones, who crooned in the style of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, rose to stardom in the 1960s. His songs “Lollipops and Roses” and “Wives and Lovers” won Grammys in 1961 and 1963, respectively.

He had adapted his style of singing after being inspired by Sinatra, who performed at Jones’ Los Angeles high school, which the legend’s daughter, Nancy, also attended, according to his website.

The son of actors Allan Jones and Irene Hervey was born in Hollywood and first performed with his father’s act in Las Vegas. He went on to sign his own recording contracts, releasing more than a 50 albums over the years.

He received another Grammy nomination in 1966 for his recording of “The Impossible Dream.” He earned five total nominations and two wins from the Recording Academy over his career.

In 1989, Jones was recognized for his work with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which still notes that Judy Garland once called him “the best jazz singer in the world.”

By the time he received that honor, Jones already recordedThe Love Boat‘s theme song, which implored viewers to “set a course for adventure.”

In addition to his work behind the microphone, Jones also appeared in movies such as 1982’s Airplane II: The Sequel and 2013’s American Hustle, as well as the original TV series Night Court in 1990.

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