Buddy Cole (musician) facts for kids
Edwin LeMar "Buddy" Cole (born December 15, 1916 – died November 5, 1964) was a talented jazz musician. He was a pianist, organist, orchestra leader, and composer. Buddy Cole played music for many popular singers, including Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby.
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Buddy Cole was born in Irving, Illinois, on December 15, 1916. His family moved to California when he was two years old. Buddy had two sisters. One of them, Bertie, played piano for silent movies. Young Buddy loved to watch her play.
When he was just ten years old, Buddy got his first chance to play piano in a theater. He filled in for someone who didn't show up. This was the start of his music career. His first regular job was playing the organ at the Figueroa Theater in Los Angeles.
As a teenager, Buddy joined Gil Evans's band when he was 19. In the late 1930s, he played in dance bands in Hollywood. He played with bands led by Alvino Rey and Frankie Trumbauer.
Working as a Studio Musician
From the 1940s, Buddy Cole became a very busy studio musician. This means he played music for recordings, movies, and TV shows. He could play many instruments. These included the piano, electric organ, celeste, harpsichord, and Novachord.
In 1947, Buddy joined the John Scott Trotter Orchestra. They played for Bing Crosby's radio shows. Buddy worked with them until 1954. After that, Bing Crosby decided to use a smaller group. He hired Buddy Cole and his trio to play for his radio programs. These shows included The Bing Crosby Show and The Bing Crosby – Rosemary Clooney Show.
Buddy Cole played on some of Bing Crosby's famous songs. These included "In a Little Spanish Town" and "Ol' Man River". He also played on Crosby's albums like Some Fine Old Chestnuts and New Tricks. Buddy also played music for Rosemary Clooney's radio show. Some of these recordings were later released on an album called Swing Around Rosie.
Other Music Projects
As a studio musician, Buddy Cole worked with other famous people. He played the Hammond organ for Henry Mancini. This music was used for the TV series Mr. Lucky. Buddy also recorded several organ albums of his own. These were released by different record companies.
Buddy Cole also played piano in movies. In the 1951 film Young Man with a Horn, he played most of the piano parts. He played for the actor Hoagy Carmichael, who appeared on screen. Buddy also wrote the music for the TV game show Truth or Consequences.
Buddy Cole passed away in Hollywood on November 5, 1964.
