Doc Severinsen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Doc Severinsen
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Severinsen in a 1974 publicity photo
for The Tonight Show |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Carl Hilding Severinsen |
| Born | July 7, 1927 Arlington, Oregon, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, swing, fusion, pop |
| Occupations | Musician, bandleader |
| Instruments | Trumpet |
| Years active | 1946–2022 |
| Labels | Command, RCA Victor, Amherst, Telarc |
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is a famous American jazz trumpeter. He used to lead the NBC Orchestra on the popular TV show The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Doc Severinsen is known for his amazing trumpet playing and his fun personality. He retired from performing in 2022.
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Doc Severinsen's Early Life and Music Journey
Doc Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon. His father was a dentist, and that's how Carl got his nickname "Doc." His dad wanted him to play the violin. But young Carl really wanted to play the trombone. Since his arms were too short for a trombone, he started playing the cornet instead. A cornet is a lot like a trumpet.
Doc was a natural talent. He was in a high school band when he was only seven years old. At age nine, he won a state trumpet contest! By 13, he joined a special all-star band. When he was 14, he even tried out for the famous bandleader Tommy Dorsey. He didn't get the job, but it showed how good he was. He also started his own small band called the Blue Notes. They played at local dances.
Before finishing high school, Doc started touring with big bands. He played with famous musicians like Ted Fio Rito, Charlie Barnet, Tommy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman. He also served in the Army during World War II.
Playing on The Tonight Show
In 1949, Doc Severinsen got a job as a musician for NBC television. He played for many stars like Steve Allen and Dinah Shore. He was part of the first band for Tonight Starring Steve Allen. He even played the closing theme song as a soloist.
In 1962, he returned to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He became the main trumpet player. Five years later, in 1967, Doc Severinsen became the leader of the band.
Leading the NBC Orchestra
Under Doc's leadership, The Tonight Show Band became very famous. It was known as the NBC Orchestra. Doc was on TV almost every night. He led the band during commercials and when guests were introduced. He often joked with the show's host, Johnny Carson. Doc also became known for wearing really bright and flashy suits!
The show had a funny part called "Stump the Band." Audience members would shout out titles of old or obscure songs. The band would then try to play them. Doc would often shout "key of E!" This was his signal for the band to play a western-style tune. Then he would sing a silly country song.
Doc's Other TV Roles
Sometimes, Doc Severinsen would fill in for Ed McMahon. Ed was Johnny Carson's announcer and sidekick. Doc usually took this role when a guest host was on the show. Tommy Newsom would then lead the band.
Doc continued to lead the band until Johnny Carson retired in May 1992. Years later, in 2005, Doc appeared on Late Show with David Letterman. He played a song to honor Johnny Carson, who had passed away. In 2015, he also played with The Roots band on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show.
Doc also appeared on other TV shows. These included Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Bonanza, The Bionic Woman, and Cheers.
Recording Music and Special Performances
In the 1960s, Doc Severinsen started recording his own albums. He made big band music and later instrumental pop. In the 1970s, he recorded jazz funk and disco music. He had hits with songs like "Night Journey."
In 1986, he recorded The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen. This album won a Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance. After The Tonight Show ended, Doc toured with some of the band members.
Doc also performed the "Star-Spangled Banner" (the U.S. national anthem) on TV several times. One famous performance was at the 1989 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He played it with the Tonight Show band.
He also helped write the hit song "Stop and Smell the Roses" with Mac Davis. Doc came up with the title for the song.
Conducting and Teaching Music
Doc Severinsen was also a conductor for many orchestras. He led "pops" concerts, which feature lighter, more popular music. He worked with the Phoenix Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Minnesota Orchestra.
He stopped conducting in 2007. He was given special titles like "Pops Conductor Emeritus" and "Pops Conductor Laureate." Doc also taught music at Arizona State University in 2001 and 2002.
In 2014, he was honored by being added to the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame. Doc Severinsen played his last concert on September 1, 2022.
Doc Severinsen's Family Life
Doc Severinsen has been married several times. He has five children: Nancy, Cindy, Allen, Robin, and Judy. He also has eight grandchildren. Some of his grandchildren, Blaire and Gray Reinhard, are also musicians.
In 1980, he married Emily Marshall, a TV writer and producer. They met when she worked for The Tonight Show. A documentary about Doc Severinsen's life, called Never Too Late: The Doc Severinsen Story, came out in 2021. It featured Emily Marshall.
Discography
- A String of Trumpets (Everest, 1960) with Billy Mure
- Tempestuous Trumpet (Command, 1961)
- The Big Band's Back in Town (Command, 1962)
- Torch Songs for Trumpet (Command, 1963)
- High, Wide & Wonderful (Command, 1965)
- Fever! (Command, 1966)
- Command Performances (Command, 1966)
- Live!: The Doc Severinsen Sextet (Command, 1967)
- Swinging & Singing (Command, 1967)
- The New Sound of Today's Big Band (Command, 1967)
- The Great Arrival (Command, 1968)
- Doc Severinsen & Strings (Command, 1968)
- Doc Severinsen's Closet (Command, 1970)
- Brass Roots (RCA Victor, 1971)
- Sixteen Great Performances (ABC Records, 1971)
- Brass on Ivory (RCA Victor, 1972) with Henry Mancini
- Doc (RCA Victor, 1972)
- Brass, Ivory & Strings (RCA Victor, 1973) with Henry Mancini
- Rhapsody for Now! (RCA Victor, 1973)
- Trumpets & Crumpets & Things (ABC, 1973)
- Night Journey (Epic, 1976)
- Brand New Thing (Epic, 1977)
- Live from Beautiful Downtown Burbank Tommy Newsom Featuring Doc Severinsen (Direct Disk Labs, 1978)
- Doc Severinsen and Friends (Everest, 1978)
- London Sessions (Firstline, 1980)
- Doc Severinsen Plays Modern Trumpet Concertos (Firstline, 1981)
- And Xebron (Passport, 1985)
- Episodes (Pro-Arte, 1986)
- Ja-Da (MCA, 1986)
- The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen (Amherst, 1986)
- The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen, Vol. II (Amherst, 1988)
- Facets (Amherst, 1988)
- The Big Band Hit Parade (Telarc, 1989)
- Trumpet Spectacular (Telarc, 1990)
- Once More...With Feeling! (Amherst, 1991)
- Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show Orchestra (Amherst, 1991)
- Unforgettably Doc (Telarc, 1992)
- Good Medicine (Bluebird/RCA, 1992)
- Lullabies and Goodnight (Critique, 1992)
- Two Sides of Doc Severinsen (The Right Stuff, 1993)
- Swingin' the Blues (Azica, 1999)
- El Ritmo De La Vida (Tejate, 2009) with Gil Gutierrez and Pedro Cartas
- En Mi Corazon (Tejate, 2010) with Gil Gutierrez and Pedro Cartas
- From the Archives (Essential Media Group, 2012)
- Oblivion (CD Baby, 2014)
Images for kids
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Severinsen in a 1974 publicity photo for The Tonight Show
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Severinsen in 2009
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Severinsen with daughter Nancy, in 1974. Nancy was part of a vocal group called Today's Children, which often performed with him.
