Singer, Songwriter. She is best remembered for penning the Billboard #1 hit from February 8 to 15, 1960, "Teen Angel". Born Eugenia Denning, she was raised in an itinerant family and learned to sing in church as a child. From the late 1930s through the mid-1950s, she joined her sisters Lou and Ginger to form The Denning Sisters, a popular vocal group that had several hits and one million-seller 1948's "Buttons and Bows." She wrote the words and music of "Teen Angel" for her younger brother, singer Mark Dinning, and his original recording was released in October of 1959. The lyrics tell the story of a girl who dies when she returns to a car stalled on train tracks to retrieve her boyfriend's class ring. Despite objections from some broadcasters over its gloominess, the ballad went to #1 on the pop charts, sold 2.5 million records, and became Mark Dinning's only hit. "Teen Angel" also sparked a trend, being the first of the "teenage tragedy" songs, such as "Tell Laura I Love Her" and "Last Kiss," that were popular for a number of years. She initially had to share credit for the work with the first of her ex-husbands, Red Surrey (who had little or no part in its creation), but received full rights in the divorce and, indeed, lived out her days on the royalties.
Singer, Songwriter. She is best remembered for penning the Billboard #1 hit from February 8 to 15, 1960, "Teen Angel". Born Eugenia Denning, she was raised in an itinerant family and learned to sing in church as a child. From the late 1930s through the mid-1950s, she joined her sisters Lou and Ginger to form The Denning Sisters, a popular vocal group that had several hits and one million-seller 1948's "Buttons and Bows." She wrote the words and music of "Teen Angel" for her younger brother, singer Mark Dinning, and his original recording was released in October of 1959. The lyrics tell the story of a girl who dies when she returns to a car stalled on train tracks to retrieve her boyfriend's class ring. Despite objections from some broadcasters over its gloominess, the ballad went to #1 on the pop charts, sold 2.5 million records, and became Mark Dinning's only hit. "Teen Angel" also sparked a trend, being the first of the "teenage tragedy" songs, such as "Tell Laura I Love Her" and "Last Kiss," that were popular for a number of years. She initially had to share credit for the work with the first of her ex-husbands, Red Surrey (who had little or no part in its creation), but received full rights in the divorce and, indeed, lived out her days on the royalties.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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