Al Hirt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Al Hirt
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Hirt in 1966
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alois Maxwell Hirt |
| Also known as |
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| Born | November 7, 1922 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | April 27, 1999 (aged 76) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, Dixieland |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader |
| Instruments | Trumpet |
| Labels | Monument, RCA Victor |
Alois Maxwell "Al" Hirt (born November 7, 1922 – died April 27, 1999) was a famous American trumpet player and bandleader. He is best known for his popular songs like "Java" and the album Honey in the Horn from 1963. He also played the exciting theme music for The Green Hornet TV show.
People gave him fun nicknames like "Jumbo" and "The Round Mound of Sound." His record company, RCA Victor, even called him "The King." Al Hirt was honored by being added to The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
Contents
Who Was Al Hirt?
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Al Hirt was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father was a police officer. When Al was just six years old, he received his first trumpet. It was bought from a local pawnshop.
He played in the Junior Police Band. His friend Roy Fernandez was also in the band. By the time he was 16, Al Hirt was already playing music professionally. He often played with his friend Pete Fountain. This was while he was still attending Jesuit High School.
Joining Big Bands and Returning Home
In 1940, Hirt traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio. He went there to study music at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. His teacher was Dr. Frank Simon. Dr. Simon used to be a solo player with the famous John Philip Sousa Orchestra.
During World War II, Al Hirt served in the United States Army. He was a bugler. After the war, he played with many popular swing big bands. These included bands led by Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Ina Ray Hutton.
In 1950, Al Hirt became the main trumpet player for Horace Heidt's Orchestra. After touring for several years, Hirt came back to New Orleans. He played with different Dixieland groups. He also started leading his own bands.
Becoming a Star Musician
Al Hirt once said, "I'm not a jazz trumpeter and never was a jazz trumpeter." However, he was very skilled and had a beautiful sound on his trumpet. Major record labels soon noticed his talent. He signed with RCA Victor.
Hirt had many successful albums in the 1950s and 1960s. He had twenty-two albums appear on the Billboard charts. His albums Honey in the Horn and Cotton Candy were both among the Top 10 best-selling albums in 1964.
That same year, Hirt had a huge hit song with his version of "Java." It reached No. 4 on the Billboard chart. He later won a Grammy Award for this recording. Both Honey in the Horn and "Java" sold over one million copies. They were given special "gold discs" for their sales.
Famous Songs and TV Themes
Al Hirt's Top 40 hit "Sugar Lips" from 1964 became a TV theme song. It was used for the NBC game show Eye Guess. This show aired from 1966 to 1969.
He was also chosen to record the fast-paced theme for the 1960s TV show The Green Hornet. Famous composer Billy May arranged the music. The song reminded people of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee." It really showed off Hirt's amazing trumpet skills. This recording became popular again in 2003. It was used in the movie Kill Bill.
Al Hirt's Own Club
From the mid-1950s to the early 1960s, Al Hirt and his band played every night. They performed at Dan's Pier 600. This club was on the corner of St. Louis and Bourbon Street in New Orleans. His business manager, Dan Levy, Sr., owned the club.
In 1962, Al Hirt opened his own club. It was also on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. He ran this club until 1983. He also became a part-owner of the NFL team, the New Orleans Saints, in 1967.
Other Appearances
In 1962, Al Hirt worked with arranger Billy May and producer Steve Sholes. They made an album called Horn A Plenty. This album was different from his usual Dixieland style. It featured a big band with other instruments like timpani and harp.
He also appeared in the 1962 movie Rome Adventure. In 1965, he hosted a TV show called Fanfare. It was a variety series that aired on CBS. Al Hirt performed at the very first Super Bowl halftime show in 1967. He played with marching bands from the University of Arizona and Grambling State University.
Later Years and Legacy
On February 8, 1970, Al Hirt was hurt during a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. He was riding on a float. He had surgery and soon returned to playing music.
In 1987, Hirt played a solo trumpet version of "Ave Maria." This was for Pope John Paul II's visit to New Orleans. He was also mentioned in the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam.
Al Hirt passed away at the age of 76. He was survived by his wife, Beverly Essel Hirt, and eight children.
Discography
Singles
| Year | Titles (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated |
US Billboard | US Cashbox | US Adult Contemporary |
Record Label | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | "Janine" b/w "Elegie" |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 7854 | Non-album tracks |
| "I'm On My Way" b/w "Perky" |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 7903 | Al's Place | |
| 1962 | "Al Di La" b/w "Talkin 'Bout That River" |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 8016 | Honey In The Horn |
| "Theme From 'The Eleventh Hour'" b/w "Song From 'Two For The Seesaw'" (Non-album track) |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 8104 | Al's Place | |
| 1963 | "Roman Nocturne" b/w "Pickin' Cotton" (Non-album track) |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 8854 | |
| 1964 | "Java" b/w "I Can't Get Started" |
4 | 4 | 1 | RCA Victor 8280 | Honey In The Horn |
| "Cotton Candy" / | 15 | 15 | 3 | RCA Victor 8346 | Cotton Candy | |
| "Walkin'" | 103 | 134 | — | |||
| "Floatin' Down To Cotton Town" b/w "After You've Gone" |
– | – | – | Coral Silver Star 65590 | Floatin' Down To Cotton Town | |
| "Sugar Lips" b/w "Poupee Brisee (Broken Doll)" |
30 | 20 | 3 | RCA Victor 8391 | Sugar Lips | |
| "Up Above My Head (I Hear Music in the Air)" b/w "September Song" |
85 | 94 | 12 | RCA Victor 8439 | ||
| "Hooray For Santa Claus" b/w "White Christmas" |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 8478 | Non-album tracks | |
| 1965 | "Feelin' Fruggy" b/w "Louisiana Lullaby" |
– | 135 | 30 | RCA Victor 8684 | |
| "Fancy Pants" b/w "Star Dust" |
47 | 37 | 9 | RCA Victor 8487 | That Honey Horn Sound | |
| "Al's Place" b/w "Mister Sandman" |
57 | 67 | 13 | RCA Victor 8543 | Al's Place | |
| "The Silence (Il Silenzio)" b/w "Love Theme from The Sandpiper" |
96 | 129 | 19 | RCA Victor 8653 | Non-album tracks | |
| "Nutty Jingle Bells" b/w "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 8706 | The Sound Of Christmas | |
| 1966 | "Mame" b/w "Seven Days To Tahiti" |
– | 135 | 36 | RCA Victor 8774 | Non-album tracks |
| "Trumpet Pickin'" b/w "Skillet Lickin'" |
– | 129 | 27 | RCA Victor 8854 | ||
| "The Arena" / | 129 | 115 | 28 | RCA Victor 8736 | ||
| "Yesterday" | - | tag | - | |||
| "Green Hornet Theme" b/w "Strawberry Jam" (Non-album track) |
126 | 121 | – | RCA Victor 8925 | The Horn Meets "The Hornet" | |
| "The Evil One" b/w "(Theme From) The Monkees" (from The Horn Meets "The Hornet") |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 9023 | Non-album track | |
| 1967 | "Music To Watch Girls By" b/w "His Girl" |
119 | — | 31 | RCA Victor 9060 | Music To Watch Girls By |
| "Yo-Yo (Puppet Song)" b/w "Boy Watchers' Theme" (Non-album track) |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 9106 | ||
| "Puppet On A String" b/w "Big Honey" |
129 | — | 18 | RCA Victor 9198 | Non-album tracks | |
| "Calypsoul" b/w "Honey Pot" |
— | — | — | RCA Victor 9285 | Soul In The Horn | |
| "Ludwig" b/w "Long Gone" |
– | — | 23 | RCA Victor 9381 | ||
| 1968 | "Keep the Ball Rollin'" b/w "Manhattan Safari" |
100 | — | 10 | RCA Victor 9417 | Al's Place |
| "We Can Fly/Up-Up and Away" b/w "The Glory Of Love" |
129 | — | 23 | RCA Victor 9500 | Non-album tracks | |
| "The Odd Couple" b/w "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 9539 | ||
| "The Garbage" b/w "Those Were the Days" |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 9664 | ||
| 1969 | "If" b/w "Penny Arcade" |
116 | 95 | 16 | RCA Victor 9717 | |
| "Viva Max March" b/w "Don't Turn Back" Both sides with Hugo Montenegro |
– | – | – | RCA Victor 0302 | Viva Max! | |
| "The Gospel Of No Name City" b/w "I Still See Elisa" |
– | – | – | GWP 516 | Paint Your Wagon | |
| 1970 | "Break My Mind" b/w "Louisiana Man" |
– | – | – | GWP 519 | Al Hirt Country |
| 1971 | "Orange Blossom Special" b/w "I Really Don't Want to Know" |
– | – | – | GWP 522 | |
| 1974 | "Sweet Sauce" b/w "Melody For Michelle" |
– | – | – | Monument 8619 | Raw Sugar/Sweet Sauce/Banana Pudd'n' |
| 1975 | "Feuding Pipers" b/w "Southern Scramble" Both sides with Boots Randolph |
– | – | – | Monument 8652 | Non-album tracks |
| "Monkey Farm" b/w "The Sound Of Jazz and The Scent Of Jasmine" |
– | – | – | Monument 8671 | Al Hirt's Jumbo Gumbo |
Albums
| Year | Album | US Billboard Top 200 | Top Jazz Albums | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Al Hirt in New Orleans | – | – | Coral |
| 1957 | Al Hirt and His New Orleans All Stars | – | – | Southland |
| 1957 | Blockbustin' Dixie! | – | – | Verve |
| 1958 | Al Hirt's Jazz Band Ball | – | – | Verve |
| 1958 | Swingin' Dixie at Dan's Pier 600 in New Orleans, Vol. 1 | – | – | Audio Fidelity |
| 1959 | Swingin' Dixie at Dan's Pier 600 in New Orleans, Vol. 2 | – | – | Audio Fidelity |
| 1960 | Swingin' Dixie, Vol. 3 | – | – | Audio Fidelity |
| 1961 | Swingin' Dixie, Vol. 4 | – | – | Audio Fidelity |
| 1961 | He's the King and His Band | 61 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1961 | The Greatest Horn in the World | 21 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1962 | At the Mardi Gras | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1962 | Horn A-Plenty | 24 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1962 | Trumpet and Strings | 96 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1963 | Honey in the Horn | 3 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1963 | Our Man in New Orleans | 44 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1964 | Beauty and the Beard | 83 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1964 | "Pops" Goes the Trumpet (Holiday for Brass) | - | – | RCA Victor |
| 1964 | Sugar Lips | 9 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1964 | Cotton Candy | 6 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1965 | The Sound of Christmas | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1965 | Live at Carnegie Hall | 47 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1965 | That Honey Horn Sound | 28 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1965 | They're Playing Our Song | 39 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1966 | The Happy Trumpet | 125 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1966 | The Horn Meets "The Hornet" | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1966 | Latin in the Horn | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1967 | Soul in the Horn | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1967 | Struttin' Down Royal Street | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1967 | Music to Watch Girls By | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1968 | Al Hirt Plays Bert Kaempfert | 116 | – | RCA Victor |
| 1968 | In Love With You | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1968 | Al Hirt Now! | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1968 | Unforgettable | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1969 | Here in My Heart | – | – | RCA Victor |
| 1988 | That's a Plenty | – | 9 | Pro-Arte |
| 1989 | Cotton Candy | – | 12 | Pro Jazz |
| 1989 | Jazzin' at the Pops | 12 | – | Pro Jazz |
| 1991 | Al's Place | – | – | Special Music |
| 1991 | Raw Sugar, Sweet Sauce | – | – | Monument |
| 1972 | Have a Merry Little Christmas | – | – | RCA Camden |
| 1993 | Bourbon Street Parade | – | – | Intersound |
| 1996 | Al Hirt & His Golden Trumpet | – | – | Total Recording |
| 1996 | Live on Bourbon Street | – | – | Laserlight |
Images for kids
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Al Hirt's club on the corner of Bourbon Street and St Louis in the French Quarter, 1977
See also
In Spanish: Al Hirt para niños
