On July 17, 1928, Vincent Anthony Dellaglio was born in San Francisco, CA. Vince changed his last name when he was a child to match that of his adoptive father. He attended Lincoln High School and San Francisco State College. During his time in high school and college, he played a variety of gigs including weddings and dances. By the early 1950s, Vince joined jazz musician Cal Tjader’s group and his first recording with the trio was released a year later. Before the end of the decade, he was pursuing his own projects and released his own original recordings.
In 1964, film producer Lee Mendelson heard one of Vince’s singles on the radio. Lee knew the song had the right feel and sound for a project he was working on. He contacted Vince about the project, who agreed immediately. Two weeks later, Vince had written “Linus and Lucy” and finished the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas shortly after that. During his career, Vince composed the musical score for 18 Peanuts films and television specials.
Vince unexpectedly passed away on February 6, 1976. His music has inspired countless musicians, including Wynton Marsalis, David Benoit and George Winston. Vince’s score from A Charlie Brown Christmas continues to conjure feelings of the holiday for children and adults alike.