Jack Nitzsche facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jack Nitzsche
Background information
Birth name	Bernard Alfred Nitzsche
Born	(1937-04-22)April 22, 1937 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	August 25, 2000(2000-08-25) (aged 63) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock surf classical avant-garde
Occupation(s)	Composer, orchestrator, arranger, session musician, record producer
Instruments	Piano, organ, vocals, saxophone
Years active	1955–1998
Associated acts	The Nooney Rickett 4, Sonny Bono, Phil Spector, The Wrecking Crew, Neil Young, Crazy Horse, The Rolling Stones, Willy DeVille

Bernard Alfred "Jack" Nitzsche (/ˈniːtʃi/ NEECH-ee; April 22, 1937 – August 25, 2000) was an American musician, composer, and record producer. He was known for his work in many types of music. These included pop, rock, and classical styles.

Jack Nitzsche became famous in the early 1960s. He worked closely with producer Phil Spector. Later, he also worked with famous bands like the Rolling Stones and Neil Young. He created music for many movies, such as Performance, The Exorcist, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. In 1983, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Up Where We Belong". He wrote this song with Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Early Life and Music Career

Jack Nitzsche was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up on a farm in Michigan. In 1955, he moved to Los Angeles. He wanted to become a jazz saxophone player.

Starting in the Music Business

Sonny Bono hired Nitzsche as a music copyist. A copyist writes down music for others. While working there, Nitzsche wrote a fun song called "Bongo Bongo Bongo". He also wrote "Needles and Pins" with Sonny Bono. This song was first sung by Jackie DeShannon. Later, the Searchers made it a hit.

Nitzsche also had his own hit song. It was an instrumental piece called "The Lonely Surfer". This song became popular in 1963.

Working with Phil Spector

Jack Nitzsche became an arranger and conductor for producer Phil Spector. He helped create Spector's famous "Wall of Sound". This was a way of recording music that made it sound very big and full. A great example is the song "River Deep, Mountain High" by Ike and Tina Turner.

Nitzsche worked with many talented musicians. These included Earl Palmer, Leon Russell, and Glen Campbell. They were part of a group called The Wrecking Crew. This group played on many pop songs for bands like the Beach Boys and the Monkees. Nitzsche also arranged the title song for Doris Day's movie Move Over, Darling.

Collaborations with Famous Artists

Jack Nitzsche worked with many of the biggest names in music. He helped create their unique sounds.

The Rolling Stones Connection

In 1964, Nitzsche met the Rolling Stones. He played keyboards on several of their albums. These included The Rolling Stones, Now!, Out of Our Heads, and Aftermath. He also played on hit singles like "Paint It, Black". He even wrote the choir parts for "You Can't Always Get What You Want".

In 1968, Nitzsche introduced the Rolling Stones to Ry Cooder. Cooder was a slide guitarist. He greatly influenced the band's music in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The "Nitzsche-phone" Mystery

On some Rolling Stones records, Jack Nitzsche was credited with playing the "Nitzsche-phone". Andrew Loog Oldham, the band's former manager, explained this. He said it was just a regular piano or organ. It was recorded in a special way to make a new sound. The idea was to show how creative the band was. They were making new sounds with old instruments.

Working with Neil Young

Nitzsche also worked a lot with Neil Young. He produced Young's song "Expecting to Fly" for the band Buffalo Springfield. In 1968, Nitzsche helped produce Young's first solo album, Neil Young.

Later, Young hired Nitzsche for his band The Stray Gators. They played on Young's albums Harvest (1972) and Time Fades Away (1973).

Crazy Horse and Other Projects

In 1970, Nitzsche played electric piano with the band Crazy Horse. He even sang on one of their songs, "Crow Jane Lady". He also produced their first album in 1971.

Nitzsche also produced albums for other artists. These included Graham Parker's Squeezing Out Sparks and three albums for Mink DeVille. He said DeVille was one of the best singers he ever worked with.

Film Music and Awards

In the mid-1970s, Jack Nitzsche started focusing more on movie music. He became a very busy film composer in Hollywood.

Award-Winning Film Scores

In 1983, he won an Academy Award for Best Song. This was for "Up Where We Belong" from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman. He wrote it with Will Jennings and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Nitzsche also created music for many other films. Some famous ones include:

• Performance (1970)
• The Exorcist (1973)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
• Starman (1984)

He was nominated for an Academy Award and a Grammy for his music in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Personal Life and Legacy

Jack Nitzsche was married twice. His second wife was Buffy Sainte-Marie. They were married for seven years. They also won an Academy Award together for "Up Where We Belong".

In 1998, Nitzsche had a stroke. This meant he could no longer work in music. He passed away in 2000 from heart problems caused by a lung infection. He is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Jack Nitzsche left behind a son and a huge collection of amazing music.

Discography

Filmography