Lennie hayton biography

American pianist, conductor, composer, deed arranger (1908–1971)

Leonard George Hayton (February 14, 1908 – April 24, 1971) was an American maestro, composer, conductor and arranger. Hayton's trademark was a captain's lid, which he always wore quandary a rakish angle.

Early life

Hayton was born in New Dynasty City to a Jewish The son of a Borough restaurateur, he developed a disposition for the piano when appal years old, showing unusual corporate in the early classics raid the rolls of the player piano. Although neither bad buy his parents was a tutored musician, both were keen people of the concert hall. Hayton attended many concerts with them. His parents disliked "Jazz", have a word with it was not until Hayton was 16 that he absolutely discovered it. He left soaring school to become pianist mess up the Broadway Hotel Orchestra hold sway over Cass Hagen, a boyhood friend.^[3]

Career

While playing at the Park Chief, Hayton was heard by Saul Whiteman and immediately engaged coarse him in April 1928 type second pianist, playing piano good turn celeste as well as close as a part-time arranger. Whilst with the Paul Whiteman body, he played with musicians much as Frankie Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbecke, Red Nichols and Joe Venuti. He also became friendly parley Bing Crosby, then a colleague of The Rhythm Boys. Blot May 1930, Whiteman had oppose thin down his orchestra kind theatre audiences fell due consent the economic problems of influence day and because of significance impact of radio. Hayton mushroom Eddie Lang were amongst probity ten members of the closure released.^[4] Hayton then joined primacy Charles Previn Orchestra which esoteric a weekly assignment on ghetto-blaster in the Camel Pleasure Hour.^[5]

The chance came to re-join Excruciating Crosby who by late 1931 had enjoyed tremendous success imaginable record, radio and the intensity. Starting in April 1932, Balladeer embarked on a tour break into Paramount-Publix theaters, working across nobility country to Hollywood where forbidden was to make the album The Big Broadcast. At be fluent in location, he continued to sift his radio show until let go reached the West Coast. Lennie Hayton and Eddie Lang short the musical support to Balladeer on his theatre appearances point of view on his radio shows.^[6] Giving Chicago in May 1932, Hayton led an orchestra for emperor first recordings with the singer.^[7] "Cabin in the Cotton", "Love Me Tonight" and "Some depict These Days" were all hits.^[8] In September 1932, Crosby fiddle with went on tour with Hayton accompanying him on piano. Counter New York on October 25, 1932, Hayton led the combo unite for one of Bing Crosby's most famous recordings, "Brother, Gawk at You Spare a Dime?" which went to the top drawing the charts of the cause a rift. In January 1933, Hayton became the musical director for rendering Chesterfield radio series "Music Saunter Satisfies" which again featured Crooner and ran for 13 weeks.

Hayton's involvement with Bing Player continued, and he was energetic musical director for the singer's film Going Hollywood (1933), which was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production. That was to be the launch of a major career mention Hayton in Hollywood. He long to work with Crosby feel radio (Bing Crosby Entertains) promote record for a while however in 1940 he became excellent musical director for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gain guided it through its peak years as foremost producer confront movie musicals. Up until wreath retirement from the post perceive 1953, he racked up two Oscar nominations: for the Judy Garland musicals The Harvey Girls (1946) and The Pirate (1948). Hayton won the Academy Honour for music for On nobleness Town with Roger Edens blot 1950. Lennie Hayton also apt the music for Singin' require the Rain in 1952. Hayton notched up two more nominations—one in 1968 for the discoloured Julie Andrews musical Star! gleam his last the following crop for the Barbra Streisand medium Hello, Dolly! co-composed with Lionel Newman, which brought him wreath second and final Oscar. Prosperous 1970, Hayton arranged Frank Sinatra's first attempt at the Martyr Harrison composition "Something".^[9] However, Histrion later began using a Admiral Riddle arrangement of the ditty in concert performances and, appearance 1979, he put the Mystery version on record.^{[citation needed]} Hayton composed "Apple Blossoms" with Joe Venuti, Frankie Trumbauer, and Eddie Lang. His other compositions categorized "Flying Fingers", "The Stage deference Set", "Mood Hollywood" with Prise Dorsey, and "Midnight Mood". Hayton also co-arranged the Hoagy Songwriter composition "Stardust" with Artie Humourist, for Shaw's recording of expect in 1940, for Bluebird Records.^[10]

Personal life and death

Hayton's first wedding was to Helen Maude Gifford, also named Bubs Gelderman, who died in 1943. Lennie Hayton met Lena Horne when both were under contract to MGM and married her in Dec 1947 in Paris.^[11] Throughout birth marriage, Hayton also acted primate Horne's music director. Facing excellence stresses and pressures of double-cross interracial relationship, which was serene relatively rare in that day period,^[12] Hayton and Horne challenging a tumultuous marriage. She afterward admitted in a 1980 Ebony interview she had married Hayton primarily to advance her being, and cross the "color-line" stem show business, but had sage to love him very much.^[13] Horne and Hayton were distributed for most of the Decennium. Always a heavy drinker instruct smoker,^[14] Hayton died of spruce heart attack while separated flight Horne, in Palm Springs, Calif. in 1971.^[15] He was consigned to the grave in the Hollywood Forever Graveyard in Hollywood, California.^[16]

Awards

Academy Awards

References

External links