Gordon Jenkins Biography Page
by Patrick McAndrews:
Gordon Jenkins
Gordon Jenkins, famous as an arranger, conductor, composer, and
bandleader, whose career spanned from the 30's thru the 60's. As a
young man, he played piano, trumpet and drums on radio. But soon
found his true talents in arranging, contributing to recordings by Benny
Goodman, Isham Jones, Lennie Hayton among others.
In 1935 he made it to broadway, conducting "The Show Is On".
From there he was hired by Paramount in 1936, then later he switched
to NBC from 1938-1944. During his time at NBC he met and became
Dick Haymes' arranger for the next four years. Recording with Haymes
with the Decca label in 1943, one of his first singles, "It Can't Be
Wrong," hit number one in June 1943. A month later, "You'll Never
Know" became the no. 1 song on the charts for over two months.
While working with Jenkins, Haymes moved from extra work into
starring roles in Hollywood with 1945's State Fair, then won an Oscar
for his rendition of "It Might as Well Be Spring." Though Haymes never
again scored another number one hit, Jenkins' reputation solidified after
that and then became the managing director for Decca and had
numerous hits for the label in the late '40s and '50s.
He's also noted for discovering the folk group "The Weavers" in New
York City at the Village Vanguard in the early '50s, and getting them a
recording session. During the 50's he continued to work with the top
talent in the industry at Decca, with such stars as Louis Armstrong, The
Andrews Sisters, and with the troubled Haymes. In 1961 he toured in
Europe with Judy Garland and conducted several of her famous live
shows. And of course there was the Decca recordings made with Nat
King Cole that had the orchestral sound that Cole's fans can easily
spot. Throughout his long, distinguished career, Jenkins best known
recordings were to come with one Frank Sinatra doing the singing, and
in 1967 he won a Grammy for Sinatra's "September Of My Years"
album.
Born: May 12, 1910 in Webster Groves, MO
Died May 1 , 1984
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