Luther Henderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luther Henderson
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Luther Lincoln Henderson Jr. |
| Born | March 14, 1919 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | July 29, 2003 (aged 84) New York City |
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| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1942–2000 |
| Associated acts | Duke Ellington, Canadian Brass |
Luther Henderson was a talented American musician. He was born on March 14, 1919, and passed away on July 29, 2003. He was a composer, arranger, orchestrator, and pianist. Henderson was especially famous for his work on Broadway musicals.
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Early Life and Music Journey
Luther Henderson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. When he was four, his family moved to Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. He first studied math at the City College of New York. Later, he decided to follow his passion for music. He enrolled at the famous Juilliard School, where he earned a degree in 1942.
During World War II, Henderson joined the United States Navy. He became an arranger for the Navy band. He then worked as a staff orchestrator for the U.S. Navy School of Music. This was from 1944 to 1946.
After the war, Henderson began working with many famous musicians. These included Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, and Richard Rodgers. He had known Duke Ellington since childhood. They were neighbors, and Luther was friends with Duke's son, Mercer. Henderson became known as Ellington's "classical arm." He helped arrange Ellington's symphonic music.
Broadway Musicals
Henderson's first big project on Broadway was Beggar's Holiday. He worked on this musical with Duke Ellington. After that, he became a key part of over fifty Broadway shows. He worked as an orchestrator, arranger, and musical director.
Some of his well-known Broadway musicals include:
- Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music
- Flower Drum Song
- Funny Girl
- No, No Nanette
- Purlie
- Ain't Misbehavin'
- Jelly's Last Jam
Henderson also wrote songs for Broadway. He made his songwriting debut with Jelly's Last Jam. For this work, he was nominated for a Tony Award in 1992. This was for Best Original Score, along with lyricist Susan Birkenhead.
Other Musical Works
From the 1950s, Henderson also worked a lot in television. He worked on popular shows like The Ed Sullivan Show. He also helped create specials for stars like Dean Martin and Carol Burnett. He was even nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the TV show Ain't Misbehavin.
Henderson was the musical director for actress Polly Bergen. He also arranged music for many popular singers. These included Robert Goulet, Nancy Wilson, and Liza Minnelli. Kids might remember him as "The Professor" on the children's TV show Joya's Fun School.
In 1999, Henderson's arrangements of Duke Ellington's music were recorded. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performed them. The album was called Classic Ellington. The next year, this music was played at Carnegie Hall. The St. Luke's Orchestra performed it. Famous jazz musicians like Clark Terry and Dianne Reeves joined them.
Henderson also worked with the Canadian Brass for twenty years. He arranged over a hundred pieces for them. Their album of Ellington's music, Take the "A" Train, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000. Henderson also led his own group, the Luther Henderson Orchestra. They recorded six albums.
Awards and Special Honors
Luther Henderson was nominated for Broadway's Tony Award twice. In 1992, he was nominated for Best Original Score for Jelly's Last Jam. In 1997, he was nominated for Best Orchestrations for Play On!. He won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations for Jelly's Last Jam.
In 2002, he received the AUDELCO Pioneer Award. He shared this award with his wife, actress Billie Allen. After he passed away, he received a Jazz Masters Award in 2004. This was from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2008, the Juilliard School created the Luther Henderson Scholarship Fund. This scholarship helps new music students.
Later Years
Luther Henderson passed away on July 29, 2003, at the age of 84. He was a truly gifted musician who left a big mark on Broadway and the world of music. He was survived by his wife, actress Billie Allen, and many family members.
