Jester Hairston (1901-2000) was an African-American actor and choral conductor and composer. As a movie actor, he first appeared as a witch doctor in a Tarzan movie and last appeared as a friend of Lester's in Being John Malkovitch. As a radio actor, he had a long-running part on the Amos 'n' Andy show. As a television actor, he had a long-running role in the same show, as well as a key role in the show Amen! As a choral conductor, Hairston graduated cum laude from Tufts University and served his apprenticeship in the Hall Johnson Choir. After moving to Hollywood, Hairston got his first break when Dimitri Tiomkin had him conduct the choir in the film Lost Horizon and from there Hairston went on to direct the choir in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and many other films. As a choral composer, Hairston wrote over 300 Negro spirituals, the best known of which is "Mary's Boy Child," a hymn with a consoling melody and straightforward harmonies that sounds more like a folk song than a composed song. "Mary's Boy Child" was first recorded by Harry Belafonte in 1956 and released in 1958. Since then, it has been recorded by Jim Reeves, John D. Loudermilk, Anne Murray, Boney M, José Feliciano, Andy Williams, Roger Whittaker, the Drifters, Engelbert Humperdinck, Mahalia Jackson, Gerry & the Pacemakers, Plácido Domingo, Neil Diamond, John Denver, Kiri Te Kanawa, Montserrat Caballé, the Swingle Singers, and most recently Charlotte Church.

© All Music Guide