Clint Eastwood wrote -and sang -the Song of the Day for May 31

Clint Eastwood is more than an actor, director and producer. He has composed the music for several of his movies, had a number one country hit and sang in a musical.

Eastwood turns 93 today. He was born May 31, 1930 in San Francisco, California.

Eastwood grew up loving music more than the movies. He taught himself how to play the piano. His first musical love was jazz.

He got his acting break in 1958 playing Rowdy Yates in the western television series “Rawhide.” He even sang on several episodes.

Eastwood tried to use his “Rawhide” popularity when he recorded the album “Rawhide’s Clint Eastwood Sings His Cowboy Favorites,” in 1959. The album didn’t make his day. The show was more popular than his cowboy favorites.

The actor had enough confidence in his singing to star with Lee Marvin in the movie musical “Paint Your Wagon.” He sang “I Still See Elisa” and “I Talk To Trees.” Listen here.The movie wasn’t popular with critics or moviegoers.

He shared a number one country hit, “Bar Room Buddies,” with Merle Haggard. The song was part of the soundtrack to his film “Bronco Billy.” He sang “Beers to You,” with Ray Charles on the soundtrack of “Every Which Way But Loose.”

He wrote or co-wrote many of the songs in his movies. He composed musical scores for some of his best films, “Million Dollar Baby,” “Mystic River” and “Flags of Our Fathers.”

We selected “Unknown Girl of My Dreams” for our Song of the Day because it was the first single he recorded. The song never reached the Billboard Hot 100, but it is a trivia question to stump friends.

Song of the Day is created by Sheldon Zoldan, and produced by Pam James for WGCU. To receive the Song of the Day in your inbox every day, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.