The little cul-de-sac of Stardust Lane may have been named for the composer of a famous song. The court containing 14 houses was developed as part of the Carmichael Estates, named for the builder. 634 Stardust Lane, Los Altos, just went on the market, and the current owner calls it “The Carmichael House,” saying that builder lived in for a time. The composer of the song Stardust was Hoagy Carmichael.

A former long-time resident on the street who is very familiar with local history insists that there is no familial connection between the two Carmichaels. However, the homes were built in 1957. That same year, the Billy Ward and His Dominoes version of the song was #13 on the charts and the better-known rendition by Nat King Cole charted #24. Coincidence? I think not.

The song “Stardust” was originally written as “Star Dust” in 1929 with words by Michell Parish and music by Hoagy Carmichael. It was most recently popularized by Natalie Cole as the title track of her 1996 CD. Through the years, it was also charted by Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman,Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, and others.

A prolific songwriter, some of Hoagy’s other most famous tunes include “The Nearness of You,” recently recorded by Nora Jones, and “Georgia On My Mind.”