http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5387834.stmThe widow of Paul Van Valkenburgh, of Ormond Beach, Florida, said he claimed to have written the song as Paul Vance.
Mrs Leroux said her late husband, who was 68 when he died, had always told her he sold the royalties to the song in his late teens.
He was working as a salesman when they met almost 40 years ago, and later became a painting contractor, she said.
"It's such a long time ago. To have it come out now, I'm kind of devastated," said Mrs Leroux.
Rose Leroux said she had had no reason to doubt her late husband's claim to fame and was "devastated".
The real Paul Vance, of Coral Springs, Florida, said the phones "don't stop with people calling thinking I'm dead".
― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 September 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)
everytime i am mistaken as being dead, it really
does upend my horse racing as well
― J. Grizzle (trainsmoke), Thursday, 28 September 2006 15:47 (nineteen years ago)
So be careful if you want to impress your girlfriend with a tall tale. You may have to keep it going for 40 years!
― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 September 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)
He cowrote "Tracy," didn't he?
― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 29 September 2006 06:03 (nineteen years ago)