The Tonight Show
Starting in 1952 during Steve Allen's tenure as host of NBC-TV's Tonight, Doc Severinsen played first trumpet in the band directed by Skitch Henderson. He actually joined "The Tonight Show Band" several months before Johnny Carson became host in October of 1962. Severinsen took over as bandleader in 1967 and soon became noted for his flashy fashions.
Under Severinsen's direction, the The Tonight Show NBC Orchestra became the most visible big band in America. The band played incidental music for sketch comedy, guest introductions, and intermission music during station breaks. Severinsen took the opportunity to update many well known swing music and jazz standards, including classics by Cole Porter, Dizzy Gillespie, and others.
Adept at comic interplay, Severinsen occasionally substituted for Ed McMahon as Johnny Carson's announcer and sidekick. Severinsen campaigned for the band to get featured slots during the show. The show introduced a "Stump the Band" segment in which audience members challenged the band to play obscure song titles, with the band responding with a comic piece.
Severinsen often cried "key of E," his signal for the band to strike up a western theme, whereupon he would enthusiastically sing a country music-flavoured nonsense song.
Tommy Newsom was frequently the band's substitute director, whenever Severinsen was away from the show or filling in for announcer Ed McMahon.
Severinsen continued as bandleader until Carson's retirement in 1992.
Read more about this topic: Doc Severinsen
Famous quotes containing the word tonight:
“And if tonight my soul may find her peace
in sleep, and sink in good oblivion,
and in the morning wake like a new-opened flower
then I have been dipped again in God, and new-created.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)