Larry Clinton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Larry Clinton
Background information
Born	August 17, 1909 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	May 2, 1985 (aged 75) Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, big band
Occupation(s)	Bandleader, composer, jazz musician
Instruments	Trombone, trumpet
Years active	1930-1961
Labels	RCA Victor
Associated acts	Bea Wain

Larry Clinton (born August 17, 1909 – died May 2, 1985) was an American musician. He was famous as a trumpeter and became a well-known bandleader and arranger. An arranger is someone who takes a song and writes out the parts for all the different instruments in a band.

Some of his most popular jazz and pop songs were "The Dipsy Doodle" (1937), "My Reverie" (1938), and "Heart and Soul" (1938). He also wrote other songs like "Satan Takes a Holiday" and "Calypso Melody."

About Larry Clinton

Early Life and Musical Talents

Larry Clinton was born in Brooklyn, New York, in the United States. He was a very talented musician who could play many instruments. He played the trumpet, trombone, and clarinet.

When he was in his twenties, he started writing music arrangements for many dance orchestras. Famous bandleaders like Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, and Louis Armstrong used his arrangements.

Leading His Own Band

Larry Clinton led his own band from 1937 to 1941. During this time, he recorded many hit songs for Victor Records. His band played popular songs of the day, like "Deep Purple."

He also wrote his own instrumental songs, such as "Satan Takes a Holiday" and "Midnight in the Madhouse." One of his most popular songs was "A Study in Brown." This song was so popular that he made four more songs with different "colors" in the title.

Swinging the Classics

Larry Clinton was also known for taking classical music and turning it into swing songs. This became very popular in the music world. Bands everywhere started to "swing the classics." They would add pop lyrics to famous classical melodies.

His version of Debussy's "Reverie" was a huge hit. It featured singer Bea Wain and was called "My Reverie." This song became the number one hit on Billboard's Record Buying Guide in 1938. Another example was "Abba Dabba," which was based on Tchaikovsky's Arabian Dance from The Nutcracker.

Famous Hit Songs

Larry Clinton was the first to record the well-known song "Heart and Soul." His version, with Bea Wain singing, came out in 1939 and reached number one.

His song "The Dipsy Doodle" was first recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra in 1937. It featured singer Edythe Wright.

Later, in 1957, his song "Calypso Melody" became a big hit for bandleader David Rose. It sold over a million copies, earning a gold record.

Music, Movies, and War Service

Larry Clinton's band mostly made recordings. They also played at college dances and hotel ballrooms. Because his song "The Dipsy Doodle" was so popular, his band appeared in three short movies. These movies were filmed in New York.

In 1941, Clinton and his band were in six short musical films. These were made for "movie jukeboxes," which were machines that played short films. These films were later released as Soundies in 1943.

After this, Larry Clinton stopped his music career for a while. He joined the United States Army Air Forces when World War II began. He was a skilled pilot and became a captain. He served in places like Calcutta and China, helping with airlifts. He also worked as a flight instructor.

Return to Music and Radio

After the war, Larry Clinton went back to music. He had more success as a bandleader from 1948 to 1950. He continued to work in music until 1961. He often led a studio band, which means he played music for other pop singers like Barry Frank in a recording studio.

In 1938, Larry Clinton even had his own radio show called The Larry Clinton Show on NBC.

Later Years

Larry Clinton passed away in 1985 in Tucson, Arizona. He was 75 years old.