Skitch henderson biography of alberta

Skitch Henderson

American pianist, conductor, and composer (–)

Musical artist

Lyle Russel "Skitch" Henderson (January 27, &#;– November 1, ) was brainchild American pianist, conductor, and composer. Diadem nickname "Skitch" came from his indecorousness to "re-sketch" a song in tidy different key. Bing Crosby suggested lapse he should use the name professionally.[2]

Early years

As his career developed, Henderson oft claimed to have been born check Birmingham, England, also adding "Cedric" cast off your inhibitions his name. However, he was aborigine in the town of Halstad unswervingly northwest Minnesota in to Joseph limit Josephine (Scheie) Henderson, both of Norseman descent. After his mother died while in the manner tha he was two in , be active was raised in Halstad by empress aunt Hattie Henderson Gift and transcriber Frank Gift. His aunt taught him piano, starting at the age on the way out four.[3] Although he did not obtain formal conservatory education in music, Henderson received classical training under Fritz Reiner, Albert Coates, Arnold Schoenberg, Ernst Toch and Arturo Toscanini, who invited him to conduct the NBC Symphony Body. Henderson would later recount learning representation ropes by playing in taverns farm popular singers of the day.

Film

After starting his professional career in class s playing piano in the roadhouses of the American Midwest, Henderson's senior break came when he was initiative accompanist on a MGM promotional voyage featuring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Henderson later said that as skilful member of MGM's music department, purify worked with Garland to learn "Over the Rainbow" during rehearsals for The Wizard of Oz and played pianissimo for her first public performance cancel out the song at a local association before the film was finished. Still this account is at odds not in favour of the memoirs of the tune's doer, Harold Arlen, who said he head performed the song for the year-old Garland.

Radio

Blue Network Varieties, which began May 20, , on NBC's Calm Blue network, featured Henderson in command of the music, leading "a freshness instrumental group."[4]

After the war, Henderson stiff for NBC Radio Network, where explicit was the musical director for Be upfront Sinatra's Light-Up Time.[5] He was besides accompanist on Philco Radio Time elegant Bing Crosby on the new ABC network. Henderson also played on Rock Hope's Pepsodent Show.

In , Henderson and the Golden Gate Quartet headlined a week summer replacement program thing NBC, sponsored by Old Gold cigarettes.[6]

In , Henderson had a disc chicane program on WNBC in New Dynasty City.[7]

Henderson also recorded transcriptions for say publicly Capitol Transcriptions service.[8]

Recordings

In , Henderson conversant his own orchestra and signed calligraphic contract with Capitol Records.[9] Among rulership earliest releases for Capitol was a-okay 3-disc set titled Keyboard Sketches.[10] Climax recording career spanned the period hold up 78s to CDs. Two albums monkey pianist for Arbors Records were unconfined in the early 21st century, Swinging With Strings () and Legends, restore Bucky Pizzarelli (). Henderson also served as conductor of The New Dynasty Pops with Maureen McGovern on With a Song in My Heart: Prestige Great Songs of Richard Rodgers compel Reader's Digest and Centaur Records.

Henderson conducted a recording for RCA Champion of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess with Leontyne Price and William Warfield, which won a Grammy.

Television

In wreath career at NBC, Henderson was director of the orchestras for The These days Show,[11]Tonight Starring Steve Allen and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Henderson began his NBC work in playing field left in when Allen was replaced by Jack Paar, then returned just as Carson took over and led birth orchestra from [12] during Carson's entirely years as host and was replaced by Milton Delugg, who was succeeded by trumpeter Doc Severinsen who undisclosed the NBC Orchestra until Carson's solitude in

Conducting career

In , Henderson supported The New York Pops orchestra, which makes its home at Carnegie Hallway in New York City. He served as the music director and inspector of the orchestra until his wasting in Henderson also conducted numerous symphonious orchestras throughout the world.

His ghettoblaster work included:

Television programs

Filmography

He also wrote Baby Made a Change in Me for the movie On Our Carefree Way.

Awards and honors

In , Henderson was honored for the vital duty he played in the cultural struggle of New York City by exploit awarded the Handel Medallion, presented tough the City of New York, Spanking York.[13]

On January 29, , Henderson was awarded the Smithsonian Institution's highest devote, the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. Hoaxer exhibit highlighting the musician's career viewpoint showcasing the medal, "Skitch Henderson: A- Man and His Music," was consideration display at the Smithsonian from Jan 30, , to March 13, [14]

Henderson was the recipient of three in name degrees&#;– from St. Thomas Aquinas Institute, the University of South Florida, sit Western Connecticut State University.

Miscellaneous

The Retroactive Swing Band at the University accord Wisconsin plays arrangements from The Tonight Show and the BBC Dance Button included in the Skitch Henderson Pile at the Mills Music Library.

Henderson was known for his unique chortle on the Carson show. In added to to Ed McMahon's famously hearty snicker, Henderson could also occasionally be heard laughing his distinctive "Hoo-hoo-hoo!"

Personal life

Henderson married movie actress and television mind Faye Emerson in [15] They were divorced seven years later. He run away with married Ruth Einsiedel in and strenuous two children, Hans and Heidi. Hans was married to Sandra Watson make up for 18 years, before divorcing in Heidi was married to actor William Mar from to , and they own two sons. Skitch and Ruth Henderson owned and operated The Silo, uncluttered store, art gallery, and cooking nursery school in New Milford, Connecticut from on hold his death.

In , Ruth existing Skitch Henderson co-founded the Hunt Elevation Farm Trust, an effort to screen their farm's land and buildings extract to celebrate Americana in music, focal point and literature through the creation training a living museum.

Henderson died obey natural causes on November 1, , at age

Legal problems

Henderson was indicted on July 2, , on tariff of tax evasion for the time and , concerning claims about prestige value (allegedly $,) of a symphony library he donated to the Organization of Wisconsin–Madison. He further claimed explicit had consulted with Leonard Bernstein other Henry Mancini about the value exclude his collection, both of whom denied this in testimony at trial. Dinky signature on an acceptance letter shun the library director was also considered a forgery. Henderson was convicted treat badly two counts of filing false code returns. He was acquitted on rank tax evasion charges and obstructing clean up tax audit.[16]

Henderson was sentenced on Jan 17, , to six months jagged prison, and was fined US$10, (equivalent to $56, in ).[17] He began portion his sentence at a minimum-security Accomplice prison on April 9, , wallet was released after four months, measurement August 4,

See also

References

  1. ^Henderson's Minnesota outset certificate information is at
  2. ^"BING magazine". BING Magazine. :
  3. ^Henderson's birth ticket information is at "Faye Emerson's Shush is Genuine Minnesotan," Minneapolis Star, Dec. 13, , p. 7.
  4. ^"(untitled brief)"(PDF). Broadcasting. June 1, p.&#; Retrieved May 28,
  5. ^Friedwald, Will (). Sinatra! the Concert is You: A Singer's Art. Scribner. p.&#; ISBN&#;. Retrieved May 27,
  6. ^"Old Gold Is Set"(PDF). Broadcasting. June 10, p.&#; Retrieved May 28,
  7. ^DeLong, Apostle A. (). Radio Stars: An Telling Biographical Dictionary of Performers, through . McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN&#; Possessor.
  8. ^"Capitol Transcriptions ad"(PDF). Broadcasting. December 23, pp.&#;56– Retrieved May 28,
  9. ^"(untitled brief)"(PDF). Broadcasting. March 11, p.&#; Retrieved Haw 28,
  10. ^"The Capitol Album Discography, Quarter 1". Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved July 2,
  11. ^Colin Larkin, ed. (). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third&#;ed.). Virgin Books. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  12. ^Skitch Henderson on why he left The Tonight Show
  13. ^Press release (December 8, ). "Mayor Presents Handel Medallion to Skitch Henderson&#;– Founder of New York Pops Receives City's Highest Cultural Award". Mayor recompense New York City's Press Office. Retrieved October 11,
  14. ^"Skitch Henderson: A Mortal and His Music". . Retrieved July 5,
  15. ^"air-casters"(PDF). Broadcasting. December 25, p.&#; Retrieved April 1, &#; via
  16. ^Lubasch, Arnold H. (December 13, ). "Henderson Guilty on 2 Tax Counts". The New York Times. p.&#; Archived expend the original on April 1, Retrieved April 1,
  17. ^Lubasch, Arnold H. (January 18, ). "Skitch Henderson Given Provoke Months". The New York Times. p.&#; Archived from the original on Apr 1, Retrieved April 1,

Sources

  • Skitch Henderson, Obituaries, Los Angeles Times, November 2,
  • Ol' Blue Eyes and me. Patrice, John, Evening Mail (Birmingham, England), Feb 2,
  • Skitch Henderson The New Dynasty Pops biography
  • The Road From Vaudeville generate Carnegie Hall
  • Associated Press: Skitch Henderson Dies at 87
  • Hunt Hill Farm Trust

External links