Robert Byrne (; May 13, 1918 – November 25, 2006) was an American bandleader, trombonist, and music executive. His
big band
A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...
was well regarded. He flew aircraft in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, and later became a musical producer for television and albums credited to other artists.
Biography
Early life and career
Byrne was born on May 13, 1918, on a farm near
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
, to Clarence Byrne and his wife.
Both of his parents were musicians; his mother was a concert pianist before marriage and, at the time of Byrne's birth, his father was in France with the U.S. Army band.
When Byrne was one, the family moved to Detroit so his father could take a position
at
Cass Technical High School
Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a public high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. ,
where he became a music teacher of high repute.
Byrne was instructed musically at home by his parents from an early age, as well as at Cass Technical, which he later attended as a student. His father taught him musical technique with a mixture of tough criticism and high praise.
In addition to trombone and harp, he studied piano, piccolo/flute, cello, and percussion.
At one point, the senior Byrne invited
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...
to hear the school's band, which was led by his son. Dorsey was impressed, and invited the younger Byrne to meet his brother
Jimmy and hear
the Dorsey Brothers
The Dorsey Brothers were an American studio dance band, led by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. They started recording in 1928 for OKeh Records.
History
The Dorsey Brothers recorded songs for the dime store labels (Banner, Cameo, Domino, Jewel, Oriole, ...
band perform. He then asked Byrne to accompany the band to hear them play their next one-night stand. While there, he asked Byrne to sit in with the band for several minutes during the performance, taking Tommy's chair. Both Dorseys were impressed by his performance.
After an argument, the Dorsey Brothers ceased to speak to each other on May 30, 1935, resulting in Tommy refusing to play with the band. Their manager called in several replacements for the crucial trombone part, however, due to either personal or professional reasons, they all declined. The next offer was made to a sixteen-year-old Byrne, at 75 dollars a week. His mother instantly drove him (with a harp in addition to his three trombones) to the Glen Island Casino,
where the orchestra was under contract to play for several months. Taking over Tommy's charts, Byrne was a success. Because of contractual obligations, Tommy returned to play with the orchestra, and Byrne was relegated to offstage. In the meantime, he learned from watching Tommy Dorsey perform. Escaping his contract, Tommy left the band permanently in September.
When the Dorsey Brothers split, Byrne joined Jimmy's outfit, and took Tommy Dorsey's place leading the trombone section.
By August, Byrne had recorded his first solo with the band on their hit single "From the Top of Your Head to the Tip of Your Toes".
He married his first wife, Pat, in March 1939, two months after having met her in
Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...
.
As bandleader and the war years
In November 1939, he formed his own band, based out of Detroit,
with the assistance of manager
Tommy Rockwell and the backing of Jimmy Dorsey,
for whom he continued to record until at least April 1940.
After signing contracts with
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...
and the Glen Island Casino, Byrne's career as a bandleader appeared to be off to a positive start.
In July 1940, he suffered an attack of appendicitis. He conspired to keep news of his ailment from his father, however
Glenn Miller
Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...
found out about his illness and relayed the news home. Byrne was able to delay surgery until fall of that year.
His theme, "Meditation at Moonlight", was composed expressly for him by
Peter de Rose
Peter DeRose (or De Rose) (March 10, 1896 – April 23, 1953) was an American composer of jazz and pop music during the era of Tin Pan Alley.
Biography
A native of New York City, he showed a gift for all things musical at an early age. He lea ...
and
Mitchell Parish
Mitchell Parish (born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky; July 10, 1900 – March 31, 1993) was an American lyricist, notably as a writer of songs for stage and screen.
Biography
Parish was born to a Jewish family in Lithuania, Russian Empire in July 190 ...
. After World War II began, Byrne struggled to keep his band going, constantly needing to replace band members lost to the draft. In 1943, while touring Florida,
he joined the Army Air Corps.
His band continued under
Jack Jenney
Truman Eliot "Jack" Jenney (May 12, 1910 – December 16, 1945) was an American jazz trombonist.
Early life
Born in Mason City, Iowa, Jenney first played trumpet, then switched to trombone. His father was a musician and music teacher. Jenney pe ...
until he also joined the military several months later.
Byrne left the army in 1945
and began recording for the
Cosmo
Cosmo may refer to:
Business and media
* Cosmopolitan (magazine), ''Cosmopolitan'' (magazine), a magazine for women, sometimes referred to as "Cosmo"
* ''Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure'', a 1992 video game
* Cosmo On-Line, a Brazilian generic Intern ...
label.
He formed another band in 1949, featuring woodwind and
French horn
The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...
tone colorings.
Bill Simon liked the sophisticated aural shadings, but felt they were not suited to many of the venues where the band performed. At this point Byrne signed with
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...
and became musical director for the ABC Television show ''
Club Seven
''Club Seven'' is an early United States television series, which aired from 12 August 1948 to 1951 on ABC. Some episodes were 30 minutes, while others were 15 minutes.
Overview
The series was a live television variety show set in a mock night ...
''.
He re-built his band yet again in 1950, eliminating woodwinds and focusing on brass and saxes, not to mention his occasional harp solo. This band included his brother Don and a sax section led by
Larry Elgart
Lawrence Joseph Elgart (March 20, 1922 – August 29, 2017) was an American jazz bandleader. With his brother Les, he recorded "Bandstand Boogie", the theme to the long-running dance show ''American Bandstand''.
Biography
Elgart was born in ...
. Critic
Bill Simon considered this ensemble to be an improvement over Byrne's previous one. He applauded the improvements in singing and in the rhythmic numbers, while noticing the improved attendance at Byrne's performances.
Later life and career
Bobby married Catherine Migliori in 1951. They had 3 daughters together, Barbara, Kathleen and Eileen. Bobby met Catherine at the Paramount Theater in New York City in 1950. While Bobby was on stage performing, he noticed Catherine sitting in the audience. He knew he had to meet her and went out of his way to do just that. Soon after that meeting, they started dating and then married. Their marriage lasted 24 years.
Finding the big-band scene in decline, Byrne disbanded his outfit to concentrate on recording studio work, and on radio and television.
In 1953, he became the musical director for
WNBT-TV, which included providing music with a
Dixieland
Dixieland jazz, also referred to as traditional jazz, hot jazz, or simply Dixieland, is a style of jazz based on the music that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century. The 1917 recordings by the Original Dixieland Jass Band ( ...
band for
Steve Allen
Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-cre ...
's late-night show.
When
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
decided to add Allen's show to their network lineup,
Skitch Henderson
Lyle Russel "Skitch" Henderson (January 27, 1918 – November 1, 2005) was a pianist, conductor, and composer. His nickname "Skitch" came from his ability to "re-sketch" a song in a different key. Bing Crosby suggested that he should use the ...
was asked to replace Byrne as the leader of the
Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 2010â ...
band. Henderson felt badly for Byrne, however band member
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''.
Early life
Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) a ...
felt that the type of music demanded by the show did not fit Byrne's style.
In 1956, Byrne recorded three sessions with
Cannonball Adderley
Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928August 8, 1975) was an American jazz alto saxophonist of the hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s.
Adderley is perhaps best remembered for the 1966 soul jazz single "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy", whi ...
, which appeared on the album ''
In the Land of Hi-Fi with Julian Cannonball Adderley
''In the Land of Hi-Fi with Julian Cannonball Adderley'' is the fourth album by jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, and his third released on the EmArcy label, featuring a nonet (six horns, three rhythm) with Nat Adderley, Jerome Richardson, E ...
''. In 1961, he joined
Enoch Light
Enoch Henry Light (August 18, 1907 – July 31, 1978) was an American classically trained violinist, danceband leader, and recording engineer. As the leader of various dance bands that recorded as early as March 1927 and continuing through at le ...
's
Grand Award Records
Grand Award Records was a pop, jazz, and gospel music record label founded by violinist and conductor Enoch Light in Harrison, New Jersey in 1955.
Light used the liner notes to describe how the records were made and to advertise their importanc ...
in the
A&R department. Byrne became a Command Records executive in the 1960s.
[
In the late 1960s, Byrne recorded two vinyl albums for the Evolution Records label. The second album was called ''Shades Of Brass'' and was released in 1969. It is notable for its inclusion of the ]Moog synthesizer
The Moog synthesizer is a modular synthesizer developed by the American engineer Robert Moog. Moog debuted it in 1964, and Moog's company R. A. Moog Co. (later known as Moog Music) produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 20 ...
and for its up tempo instrumental title track "Shades of Brass". It was released as a single in the U.S and was used by ABC as its main theme from 1969 to 1973.
Byrne left music in the early 1970s to pursue other business opportunities.
Death
Byrne died on November 25, 2006, in Irvine, California
Irvine () is a Planned community, master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on ...
at the age of 88. His wife, Marilyn, said he had suffered a stroke and had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Style
Byrne closely modelled his playing after Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...
.[ In the Jimmy Dorsey outfit, Byrne was comfortable playing either sweet or hot.][ His jazz solos were considered ahead of their time by ]Gunther Schuller
Gunther Alexander Schuller (November 22, 1925June 21, 2015) was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician.
Biography and works
Early years
Schuller was born in Queens, New York City, ...
,[ and Bill Simon considered his embellishments on slow numbers to be "breathtaking".] He was an extreme perfectionist, which was sometimes given as the reason why his 1940s band was never very successful. He overworked himself and his band, even after suffering appendicitis
Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a rup ...
in 1940. A 1942 review praised his "clean, solid swing" but found his song introductions to be too lengthy. Although known for his perfectionism, he was also known for being very affabile.
Discography
Albums
* ''Bobby Byrne Plays Great Themes''. (1958, Grand Award)
* ''Bobby Byrne and the Alumni Orchestra.'' (1959, Top Rank 35-028)
* ''The Jazzbone's Connected to the Trombone.'' (1959, Grand Award)
* ''Tribute to the Dorseys.'' (Command 33-382)
* ''1966-Magnificent Movie Themes.'' (1966, Command 894)
* ''Sound in the Eighth Dimension.'' (1968, Command)
* ''Shades of Brass.'' (1969, Evolution)
Singles
Other appearances
;With the Henri René
Henri René (born Harold Manfred Kirchstein; December 29, 1906 – April 25, 1993), was an American musician who had an international career in the recording industry as a producer, composer, conductor and arranger.
Early years
Born in New York ...
Orchestra
*'' RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt'' (RCA, 1953)
*'' That Bad Eartha (EP)'' (RCA, 1954)
*'' Down To Eartha'' (RCA, 1955)
*'' That Bad Eartha (LP)'' (RCA, 1956)
*'' Thursday's Child'' (RCA, 1957)
With Cootie Williams
Charles Melvin "Cootie" Williams (July 10, 1911 – September 15, 1985) was an American jazz, jump blues, and rhythm and blues trumpeter.
Biography
Born in Mobile, Alabama, Williams began his professional career at the age of 14 with the Yo ...
*''Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi
''Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi'' is an album by trumpeter Cootie Williams, recorded in 1958 and released on the RCA Victor label. '' (RCA Victor, 1958)
External links
Bobby Byrne Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (1997)
Bobby Byrne recordings
at the Discography of American Historical Recordings
The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Byrne, Bobby
1918 births
American jazz musicians
United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II
American trombonists
Male trombonists
American harpists
Musicians from Columbus, Ohio
Decca Records artists
2006 deaths
20th-century American musicians
20th-century trombonists
Jazz musicians from Ohio
20th-century American male musicians
American male jazz musicians