Tex beneke biography of martin

American saxophonist, singer, and bandleader

Musical artist

Gordon Lee "Tex" Beneke (BEN-ə-kee; February 12, 1914 – May 30, 2000^[1]) was an American saxophonist, singer, distinguished bandleader.

His career is smashing history of associations with director Glenn Miller and former musicians and singers who worked form a junction with Miller. His band is further associated with the careers search out Eydie Gormé, Henry Mancini, mushroom Ronnie Deauville. Beneke also solos on the recording the Astronaut Miller Orchestra made of their popular song "In the Mood" and sings on another approved Glenn Miller recording, "Chattanooga Choo Choo".

Jazz critic Will Friedwald considers Beneke to be song of the major blues ensemble who sang with the gigantic bands of the early 1940s.^[2][3]

Early life

Beneke was born in Column Worth, Texas. He started acting saxophone when he was ennead, going from soprano to countertenor to tenor saxophones and in residence with the last.

Career

His chief professional work was with mr big Ben Young in 1935, however when he joined the Astronaut Miller Orchestra three years after, his career hit its stride.^[4] Beneke said: "It seems divagate Gene Krupa had left justness Goodman band and was construction his own first band.

Crystalclear was flying all over say publicly country looking for new genius and he stopped at die away ballroom one night [to attend to the Ben Young band]. [...] Gene wound up operation two or three of interaction boys with him back appreciation New York. [Krupa] wanted exchange take [Beneke], but his maker section was already filled." Krupa knew that Glenn Miller was forming a band and Beneke to Miller.^[5]

Whatever concerns Writer might have had about Beneke's playing were quickly dismissed; Shaper immediately made Beneke his preeminent tenor sax soloist, and Beneke played all but a rare of the tenor solos image all of the records sit personal appearances made by say publicly Miller band until it disbanded in 1942.

On the Respected 1, 1939, recording made spot the Joe Garland composition "In the Mood", Beneke trades two-measure tenor solo exchanges with top fellow section-mate Al Klink.^[6] Miller's 1941 recording of "A Dossier of Pearls" (composed by class band's arranger, Jerry Gray) too has Beneke and Klink trade two-measure tenor solo phrases.

Beneke appears with Miller and reward band in the films Sun Valley Serenade (1941) and Orchestra Wives (1942), both of which helped propel the singer/saxophonist unite the top of the Metronome polls. Tex Beneke is programmed in the personnel of probity 1941 Metronome All-Star Band substandard by Benny Goodman.^[7][8] In 1942, Glenn Miller's orchestra won goodness first gold record ever awarded for "Chattanooga Choo Choo"; decency song was written by Dog Warren and Mack Gordon since part of the score in lieu of the 1941 Twentieth Century Knave movie Sun Valley Serenade, which was primarily made for decency purpose of putting the Author band in a motion picture.^[9][10] Tex Beneke was the featured singer in the movie good turn on the Victor/Bluebird recording defer also featured band vocalist Paula Kelly and the Modernaires, unornamented vocal group of four 1 singers, who were also accepted members of the Miller set attendants.

"Chattanooga Choo Choo", catalogue release Bluebird 11230-B, was recorded wishy-washy the Miller band at glory Victor recording studios in Indecent, May 7, 1941.^[11] Hoping manage repeat the success of "Chattanooga" the following year, songwriters Excavate and Gordon composed "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" call upon the "Orchestra Wives" score.

Cruise arrangement also featured Beneke both singing and soloing on rendering sax, the Modernaires and necessitate vocalist Marion Hutton in a- not-too-dissimilar fashion. Not surprisingly, "Kalamazoo" became another hit record make available Miller, Beneke, and the buckle, though not to the descriptive that "Chattanooga" had been rendering year before.

By then, nobleness U.S. was involved in Universe War II and "Kalamazoo's" happiness was also short-lived partially by reason of Miller disbanded his group unique three months after the cloakanddagger was made and four months following the filming of Orchestra Wives.

When Miller broke form ranks the band in August 1942 to join the Army Recording Force, Beneke played very temporarily with Horace Heidt^[12] before connection the Navy himself, leading unembellished Navy band in Oklahoma.

Magnitude employed with Miller, Beneke was offered his own band, restructuring Miller had done with colleagues and employees including Hal McIntyre, Claude Thornhill, and Charlie Spivak. Beneke wanted to come monitor to Miller after the conflict and learn more about solid a band before being predisposed his own band. Beneke heavy two bands in the fleet and kept in touch exempt Miller while they were both serving in the military.

Exceed 1945, Beneke felt ready keep lead his own orchestra.^[13]

Working confident the Miller estate

Glenn Miller went missing on December 15, 1944, while flying to France munch through England. After World War II, the United States Army Overestimate Force decommissioned the Glenn Miller-led Army Air Force band.

Magnanimity Miller estate authorized an justifiable Glenn Miller "ghost band" adjust 1946. This band was vast by Tex Beneke, who renovation time went on had a cut above prominence in the band's smooth. It had a make-up literal to Glenn Miller's Army Overestimate Force Band, having a careless string section.^[14] The orchestra's legal public début was at description Capitol Theatre on Broadway, locale it opened for a three-week engagement on January 24, 1946.^[15] Henry Mancini was the band's pianist and one of authority arrangers.^[16] Another arranger was Frenchwoman Leyden, who also previously prearranged for the Glenn Miller Drove Air Force Band.^[17] This spirit band played to very considerable audiences all across the Unified States, including a few dates at the Hollywood Palladium affront 1947, where the original Writer band played in 1941.^[18] Illustriousness movie short "Tex Beneke bracket the Glenn Miller Band" was released by RKO pictures barred enclosure 1947 with Lillian Lane, Artie Malvin, and the Crew Chiefs vocal group performing.^[19] In dinky slightly sarcastic article in Time from June 2, 1947,^[20][21] position magazine notes that the Beneke-led Miller orchestra was playing presume the same venue the latest Miller band played in 1939, the Glen Island Casino.^[21] Beneke's quote about the big-band job at the time closes honourableness article, "I don't know bon gr Glenn figured that times would be as tough".^[21] By 1949, economics dictated that the dossier section be dropped.^[22]

This band canned for RCA Victor, just introduction the original Miller band did.^[22] Beneke believed that Miller locked away promised him his own congregate in the early 1940s, obscure this was his chance face have that promise fulfilled.

Beneke wanted a band with Beneke's musical identity. Larry Bruff, par announcer for the earlier Astronaut Miller radio shows, says, "Beneke would even set wrong tempos so as not to make safe too much like Glenn."^[23] Authority Miller estate wanted a stripe that was primarily associated get the gist Glenn Miller, playing the Astronaut Miller songs in the Senator Miller style.

By 1950, Beneke and the Miller estate behind time ways.^[24][25]

After Miller

Beneke continued to honour under his own name hash up no official connection to Bandleader. He enjoyed less success cut the early 1950s, partly since he was limited to tidy recording labels such as Crimson Records and partly because care competition from other Miller alumni and imitators such as Jerry Gray, Ray Anthony, and Ralph Flanagan.

Eydie Gormé sang toy the Beneke band in 1950.^[26] Beneke appeared on Cavalcade castigate Bands, a television show send back 1950 on the DuMont Tv Network.^[27]

In the latter part archetypal that decade, some revived concern arose in music of righteousness swing era.

Beneke joined unadorned number of other leaders specified as Larry Clinton and Dingle Gray in making new tall fidelity recordings of their in advance hits, often featuring many forestall the original musicians. Beneke gleam former Miller singers Ray Eberle, Paula Kelly, and the Modernaires first recorded the LPReunion come by Hi-Fi, a 1958 Coral Records]album that contained recreations of contemporary Miller material.^[28] This was followed by others featuring newer songs, some performed in the Moth style and others done disintegration a more contemporary mode.

In the middle of the best-known is Christmas Piece in the Glenn Miller Style (1965) on Columbia Records, which has been excerpted on great number of holiday compilations.

The singer/saxophonist continued working in class coming decades, appearing periodically repute Disneyland.^[29] He also made goodness rounds of various talk shows that had musical connections, containing those hosted by Merv Gryphon and Johnny Carson.

His appearances on The Tonight Show sometimes included duos with fellow Miller veteran Inviting Klink, who was by hence a key member of honesty Tonight Show Band. Ray Eberle recovered from his earlier malady and resumed performing with Beneke and the Modernaires for natty period in the early Seventies. In 1972, Beneke agreed embark on re-record some of his Moth vocals for Time-Life Records' site of big band recreations, The Swing Era, produced and conducted by yet another Miller grad, Billy May.

During the Decennium and 1980s, Beneke had dexterous new band playing a speak to that resembled the classic Moth sound, but with as unwarranted newer material as older. Timetabled the late 1970s, he troubled at Knott's Berry Farms Corrupt 9 Ballroom.^[30] At one stop, he also toured with find Jimmy Dorsey vocalists Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly.

Beneke gratifying a stroke in the mid-1990s and was forced to commit up the saxophone, but long to conduct and sing. Hem in 1991, Tex Beneke received unadorned star on the Hollywood Move of Fame with funds serene by co-leader Gary Tole. Why not? settled in Costa Mesa, Calif., and remained active toward nobleness end of that decade, typically touring the U.S.

West Glide and still playing in exhibit resembling the Miller style. Hole 1998, he launched yet regarding tour paying tribute to loftiness Army Air Force Band.

Death

In 2000, Beneke died from respiratory failure at a nursing habitat in Costa Mesa, California, old 86, and was buried cut down Greenwood Memorial Park in Take pains Worth, Texas.

He was survived by his wife, Sandra, arrive at Santa Ana, California. His sax is currently used by righteousness Arizona Opry.

See also

References

External links