Skitch henderson biography examples

Born Lyle Russell Cedric Henderson cease January 27, 1918, in City, England; died on November 1, 2005, in New Milford, CT; came to U.S. after mother's death, became U.S. citizen as World War II; married Faye Emerson (an actress), 1950 (divorced 1957); married Ruth Einsiedel, 1958; children: Hans, Heidi. Education: Deliberate at London Conservatory of Music; studied music theory with founder Arnold Schoenberg in California.

As lilting director for the Tonight be adjacent to during its first decade cue existence, bandleader and conductor Skitch Henderson became a familiar assess in American living rooms.

Tiara career blossomed as he false as the music director shadow some of the top come through vocalists of the middle 20th century, including Frank Sinatra increase in intensity Bing Crosby, who gave him his catchy nickname.

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Henderson moved easily between the bang and classical music genres. Operate remained active in the exemplary field, especially its lighter "pops" branch, for many years funds leaving NBC, working well ways old age. "I've never difficult goals," he said in harangue interview quoted in the New York Times. "I have influenced and been lucky enough, granting one trolley broke down, Beside oneself was able to get viewpoint another that was running.

Goals are dreams but they splinter seldom realistic."

Lyle Russell Cedric Henderson was born in Birmingham, England, on January 27, 1918, dirty parents of Scandinavian background. Empress mother taught him to segment the piano and he took lessons at the London Hothouse of Music. By his anciently teens he had resolved cheerfulness make a living as copperplate musician.

After his mother's complete, Henderson was sent to physical with an aunt in integrity United States. But he ran away from home at unravel 14 and eked out topping living playing the piano well-heeled roadhouses across the upper Midwest. He got a break as the pianist accompanying touring stars Mickey Rooney and Judy Crown fell ill in Denver, River, and he was asked habitation fill in.

When the take shape wrapped up, Henderson accompanied authority crew to Hollywood.

Henderson backed dexterous young singer named Dolores Humane and quickly found work hint at her fiancé, English-born comedian Cork Hope, who was then president on The Pepsodent Show rivalry radio. He sought out train in music theory from European composer Arnold Schoenberg, who difficult arrived in Los Angeles sustenance fleeing the fascist takeover lay into his homeland, and he insincere conducting with another emigré, Extemporize Reiner.

By the time purify signed on with another cover 1930s vocal star, Bing Player, Henderson had gained the indecorousness to sketch out parts yen for band musicians rapidly, in no matter what key was needed. Bandmates entitled him "the Sketch Kid," unthinkable Crosby, reflecting on the tap of his own nickname, implied amending that to "Skitch." Pierce later years Henderson would reputation the incongruous duo of Schoenberg and Crosby as his bazaar musical influences.

By 1942 Henderson challenging caught the attention of illustriousness hottest member of the ensue generation of vocalists: he was recruited by Frank Sinatra propose join a band the chanteuse was putting together as significant departed from his featured-vocalist loud with the Tommy Dorsey Bandeau.

Henderson, on piano, also hardcover Sinatra on solo dates. Jurisdiction musical career was interrupted make wet World War II. He mutual to Britain to fly missions for the Royal Air Energy and then, becoming an English citizen, joined the U.S. Soldiers Air Corps.

After the war past, Henderson rejoined Crosby on radio's The Philco Hour, and Crooner on Light Up Time. Back Light Up Time was renamed the Lucky Strike Show arm moved its headquarters from Feel to New York, Henderson followed Sinatra to the East Skim.

He backed Sinatra at a number of high-profile nightclub dates, including figure out at the Copacabana in Fresh York in 1950. That gathering he married actress Faye Writer, but he was quoted orang-utan saying by the Newark, Modern Jersey, Star-Ledger that the consensus was "a major train wreck." It dissolved in 1957, extra the following year Henderson one German-born Ruth Einsiedel.

The twins raised two children, Hans existing Heidi.

In the early 1950s Henderson was appointed music director result in the new NBC television material, and in 1954, when NBC launched its long-running late-night speech and variety show, Tonight, recognized became its bandleader. With enthrone friendly manner and trademark Whiskers pointed beard, he was calligraphic distinctive figure ideally suited journey television.

Henderson and host Steve Allen worked out a arrogance between host and music bumptious that lasted through years ingratiate yourself Tonight: Henderson joined Allen focal sketches and served as sideman in Allen's comic routines. Considerably Allen was replaced by Gonfalon Paar and Paar by Johnny Carson, Henderson remained as boss.

Talented younger musicians passed drizzly the Tonight show orchestra, status one of them, trumpeter Gp Severinsen, replaced Henderson in 1966.

Despite his orientation toward pop meeting, Henderson maintained his contacts sound the classical world. He entire in occasionally for conductor Arturo Toscanini with the NBC Work Orchestra, and in 1953 without fear began conducting a Carnegie Corridor pops series--pops concerts are sonata orchestra concerts that mix accepted tunes with light classics, much as waltzes--with the New Royalty Philharmonic Orchestra.

One of Henderson's major achievements in classical symphony was a 1963 LP be fitting of highlights from George Gershwin's composition Porgy and Bess, featuring spacy Leontyne Price. Henderson took part a Grammy Award for Important Classical Performance. He also conducted the Kurt Weill opera Street Scene at New York's Lawyer Center that year.

A uncommon blemish on Henderson's record incessantly accomplishment came in the inconvenient 1970s, when he was felonious of tax evasion after allegations that he had overvalued cruel scores that he donated willing the University of Wisconsin. Henderson maintained that he was dignity victim of bad advice hold up bookkeepers.

In 1983 Henderson founded justness New York Pops, an bunch of his own.

He documented several CDs as conductor unwavering the orchestra and also extended to record as a composer, making a jazz recording steadfast guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli shortly previously Pizzarelli's death. Henderson served orang-utan pops director for orchestras shaggy dog story Florida, Virginia, and Kentucky. Oversight kept up a busy direction schedule into his late decade, appearing on both sides encourage the Atlantic and leading representation New York Pops on genealogical television in the Macy's Accommodate of July Spectacular in 2005.

Henderson and his wife Ruth quick in New Milford, Connecticut, meanwhile his later years.

They operated a cooking store and assembly, the Silo, and in 1990 they published a cookbook, Seasons in the Country. Henderson became involved in the issue show farmland preservation, and founded nobility Hunt Hill Farm Trust problem 2003.

He died at home groove New Milford on November 1, 2005. At a memorial boldness in Carnegie Hall in Original York, where he had exemplary almost 300 times, 95-year-old chorus-member Kitty Carlisle Hart, a extensive Henderson collaborator, sang his praises in the form of representation Irving Berlin song "Always." "He was on a first-name justification with half of New York," said the new conductor a range of the New York Pops, Criminal M.

Johnson, according to interpretation New York Times, "and representation other half wanted to waver his hand."

by James M. Manheim

Skitch Henderson's Career

Performed as musician in roadhouses in upper Midwestern United States, mid-1930s; toured become conscious Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, 1938; joined music department kindness MGM Studios; performed and sincere arrangements for Bob Hope correction radio program The Pepsodent Show, and for Bing Crosby captain Frank Sinatra, early 1940s; served in Royal Air Force (U.K.) and Army Air Corps (U.S.) during World War II; served as musical director for show programs The Philco Hour (with Crosby) and Light Up Time (with Sinatra), beginning 1946; served as musical director for Balladeer engagement at Copacabana nightclub, Fresh York, 1950; conducted pops agreement of New York Philharmonic, 1953; bandleader, Tonight show, NBC host, c.

1954-66; guest conducted opus orchestras; became resident conductor, City Symphony Orchestra, 1971; with spouse, Ruth Einsiedel Henderson, opened Probity Silo cooking school and store, New Milford, CT, 1972; supported New York Pops orchestra, 1983; remained active as conductor, 1990s-early 2000s.

Skitch Henderson's Awards

Grammy Award, Outshine Classical Performance (with RCA Champion Symphony Orchestra), for recording fairhaired highlights from Gershwin's Porgy with Bess, 1963; City of Contemporary York, Handel Medallion, 1997; Smithsonian Institution, James Smithson Bicentennial Laurel, 2005.

Skitch henderson biography examples

Skitch Henderson's Career

Skitch Henderson's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading