
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 22, 1993                   TAG: 9304220270
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES                                LENGTH: Short

MISS AMERICA THEME COMPOSER DIES AT 74

Bernie Wayne, who composed the music for the enduring hit "Blue Velvet" and wrote "There She Is," the crowning theme of the Miss America Pageant, has died of natural causes. He was 74.

Bobby Vinton's recording of "Blue Velvet" was a No. 1 song in 1963, enjoyed a resurgence as the theme of David Lynch's 1986 movie of the same name, and recently was a hit again in England after it surfaced in a TV ad.

"There She Is" was first heard at the Miss America Pageant in 1955. It was dropped from the program in 1982 in a dispute over money, then reinstated in 1985. Pageant officials said Wayne settled the dispute for considerably less than the 15-year, $25,000 contract he had wanted.

- Associated Press

by CNB