Professional Life
Burt joined the Alvino Rey Orchestra in 1949. Meanwhile, Anne remained in Michigan, where the Burts' only child, Diana Bates Burt, was born on March 8, 1950. While she was pregnant, Anne, in consultation with Alfred, asked an old family friend, Wilha Hutson, the organist at Bates Burt's church, to write the annual Christmas poems, which Burt then would set to music. The Burt-Hutson collaboration continued until Burt's death.
Over several years, as the Burts' circle of friends grew, the Christmas card list grew from 50 to 450 people. But still, the carols remained unknown outside the Burts' mailing list.
That changed with the 1952 carol, "Come, Dear Children". Burt finished writing the music during a rehearsal with the Blue Reys, the vocal group with Rey's orchestra. He asked them to sing it so he could make sure the harmonies worked; they liked it so much that they asked Burt if they could sing it at the annual King Family Christmas party. It proved to be a hit among the partygoers, and served to introduce Burt's carols to Hollywood.
Read more about this topic: Alfred Burt
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