Freddy Martin

Swing-era bandleader Freddy Martin was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on December 6, 1909; a onetime drummer and C-melody saxophonist, his primary instrument was the tenor sax, and he formed his first band while attending high school. According to the Big Bands Database, after graduation Martin accepted a job with a musical instrument company, and when <a href="spotify:artist:1SMaj5z11iCDBIy2zufCD8">the Guy Lombardo Orchestra</a> played Cleveland, he attempted to sell the group some saxophones; <a href="spotify:artist:5u5O35ppRJaOpOrU1CeKEW">Lombardo</a> declined the offer but he did hear Martin's band, and was so impressed he later recommended the fledgling orchestra for a date <a href="spotify:artist:5u5O35ppRJaOpOrU1CeKEW">Lombardo</a> himself could not make. From 1931 onward the Freddy Martin Orchestra toured regularly, appearing at venues like New York's Roosevelt Grill, and also frequently guested on radio; throughout the majority of the decade Elmer Feldkamp was the featured vocalist, with the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:0Ha4lZuM3oYuiTYQxb3vQy">Helen Ward</a>, Stuart Wade, <a href="spotify:artist:2yAaHNsFdr56XUvYsKcTJM">Buddy Clark</a>, and Eddie Stone singing with the group as well. The group's signature song was its arrangement of the first movement of <a href="spotify:artist:3MKCzCnpzw3TjUYs2v7vDA">Tchaikovsky</a>'s B-flat Piano Concerto; its success prompted Martin to adopt other classical themes as well, and with the addition of Bobby Worth's lyrics they later re-recorded the <a href="spotify:artist:3MKCzCnpzw3TjUYs2v7vDA">Tchaikovsky</a> piece as "Tonight We Love," scoring a major hit.

The popularity of the Martin Orchestra ultimately led them to Hollywood, and during the early '40s they appeared in a series of films including 1943's Stage Door Canteen and What's Buzzin', Cousin? Passing through their ranks was a series of noted pianists, among them <a href="spotify:artist:36Jv930tZyxSpTJlHQALxO">Jack Fina</a>, Terry Shand, and Barclay Allen; other notable alumni included <a href="spotify:artist:3Gul9YJiH5cPauKRIMYo3p">Merv Griffin</a>, who sang with the group during the 1950s. Martin continued performing on radio and television well into the 1960s, and even served as <a href="spotify:artist:43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE">Elvis Presley</a>'s first music director in Las Vegas; during the following decade he enjoyed a long residency at Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel, and led his orchestra until just prior to his death on September 30, 1983. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi