Collection Summary
Musical Arrangements for Billy Eckstine
1950-1957
1950-1957
ML31.R54
Eckstine, Billy
Riddle, Nelson
Winterhalter, Hugo, 1909-1973
approximately 350 items
7 containers
2.5 linear feet
English
Collection material in English
Music Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Billy Eckstine (1914-2019) was an American
popular and jazz singer and bandleader. Nelson Riddle (1921-1986) was a trombonist,
composer, and arranger who worked with prominent vocalists during the 1940s through
1960s, including Nat King Cole, Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Frank
Sinatra. Musician, composer, and recording executive Hugo Winterhalter was also an
arranger for several record labels, television, film, and artists such as Perry Como,
Frank Sinatra, Mario Lanza, and the Ames Brothers. The collection consists of holograph
scores and printed parts for arrangements of popular songs that Riddle and Winterhalter
created for Eckstine during the 1950s.
Acquisition Information
Purchase, Al Teman, 2009
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
Jane Cross processed the Musical Arrangements for Billy Eckstine in 2021. Anthony
Edwards and Rachel McNellis coded the finding aid in 2021. Researchers should note that
the folders are labelled to reference an earlier title for this collection.
Related Material
The[ Ella Fitzgerald
Collection] contains many arrangements by Nelson Riddle, and the [ Dexter
Gordon Collection] contains photographs of Billy Eckstine.
Copyright Status
Materials from the Musical Arrangements for Billy Eckstine are governed by the Copyright
Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright
laws.
Access and Restrictions
The Musical Arrangements for Billy Eckstine are open to research. Researchers are
advised to contact the Music Division prior to visiting in order to determine whether
the desired materials will be available at that time.
Certain restrictions on using or copying materials may apply.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
[item, date, container number], Musical Arrangements for Billy Eckstine, Music Division,
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Sketches
Billy Eckstine
Date
Event
1914 July 8
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to William and Charlotte Eckstein
1925
Made his first appearance as a singer at a church bazaar
1928
Attended Peabody High School in Pittsburgh
circa 1930
Moved to Washington, D.C.
circa 1931
Studied physical education at St. Paul's Normal and Industrial School in
Lawrenceville, Virginia
1932
1933
Studied at Howard University until he won an amateur singing
contest
circa 1933
Changed the spelling of his last name from Eckstein to Eckstine
1939
1943
Sang as lead vocalist in Earl Hines's orchestra in Chicago while learning
trombone
1942
Recorded the hit songs "Jelly, Jelly" and "Stormy Monday" with Hines's
orchestra
Married his first wife, June (divorced 1952)
1944
1947
Led his own be-bop band, the Billy Eckstine Orchestra, which featured
prominent jazz musicians, such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Fats Navarro,
Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan
1945
Recorded the hit song "Prisoner of Love" with Duke Ellington on piano,
which became a gold album
1945
1950
Recorded hit songs with MGM, including "Cottage for Sale" (1945),
"Everything I Have is Yours" (1947), "I Apologize" (1948), "Caravan" (1949),
and "My Foolish Heart" (1950)
1946
Starred in the musical film
Rhythm in a Riff
Won
Esquire
magazine's New Star Award
1947
Pursued a career as a solo vocalist and focused primarily on
ballads
Late 1940s
Signed a five-year contract with MGM records
1950 April 24
Featured in a photograph in
LIFE
magazine in which he was surrounded by white women, which damaged his
career due to societal racism
1949
Voted most popular singer and orchestra by
Downbeat
magazine's annual poll
1950
Voted top male vocalist by
Metronome
magazine's annual poll
1950s
1980s
Performed at night clubs
1951 July 8
Performed at the seventh annual Cavalcade of Jazz festival, which Leon
Hefflin Sr. produced at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles
1953
Married actress and model Carolle Drake
1957
Recorded the song "Passing Strangers" with Sarah Vaughan
1960
Sang the national anthem at the World Series
Mid-1960s
Recorded for Motown Records
1984
Recorded his penultimate song, "I Am a Singer"
1985
Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame
1986
Recorded his final album
Billy Eckstine Sings with Benny Carter
, which was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male Jazz Vocal
Performance
Appeared in the film
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling,
produced by Richard Pryor
1990
Was a pallbearer at Sammy Davis Jr.'s funeral
1992 April
Had a stroke while giving a concert in Salina, Kansas, ending his
performing career
1993 March 8
Died of a heart attack in Pittsburgh
1999
Posthumously awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award for his 1948 recording
of "I Apologize"
2019
Posthumousy awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Nelson Riddle
Date
Event
1921 June 1
Born in Oradell, New Jersey
1929
Began studying piano at age eight
1935
Began studying trombone at age fourteen
1938
Studied orchestration with Bill Finegan, who was also the arranger for the
Glenn Miller Orchestra
circa 1938
Played trombone in Charlie Briggs's band The Briggadiers at Rumson High
School
1940
Arranged and played trombone for Jerry Wald's orchestra
1941
Arranged and played trombone for Charlie Spivak's orchestra
1943
Served with the United States Merchant Marines in Brooklyn, New
York
Studied with Alan Shulman
1944
1945
Played trombone with Tommy Dorsey's orchestra in Chicago for eleven
months
1945 April
1946 June
Served in the United States Army
1945
Married Doreen Moran (divorced 1970)
1946
Began arranging for Bob Crosby in Los Angeles
1947
Began arranging for NBC Radio
Studied arranging with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Victor
Young
1949 May
Recorded the song "Again" with Doris Day, which reached no. 2 on the
Billboard charts
1950
Completed his first project with Capitol Records, an arrangement of "Mona
Lisa" for Nat King Cole, with whom he collaborated for more than a
decade
circa 1950
Signed with Capitol Records and formed his own orchestra
1950s
Worked with popular singers at Capitol Records including Rosemary Clooney,
Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, and Dean
Martin
1952
Featured with his orchestra on Billy Eckstine's album
Kiss of Fire
1953
Collaborated with Frank Sinatra on the song "I've Got the World on a
String"
1955 November
Released the song "Lisbon Antigua," which reached the top of the Billboard
charts for three weeks
1955
Arranged the film score for
Guys and Dolls
1956
Arranged the film score for
High Society
1959
Won Grammy Award for Best Musical Composition First Recorded and Released
in 1958 for
Cross Country Suite
1959
Composed the film score for
A Hole in the Head
Collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald on
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook
Composed the theme for
The Untouchables
television series
1961
Had an affair with Rosemary Clooney
Directed the music for President John F. Kennedy's inauguration
1962
Left Capitol Records and began working as a freelance arranger
1965
Collaborated with Brazilian composer Antônio Jobim, who incorporated the
Bossa Nova and Latin jazz styles into his works, on the album
The Wonderful World of Antônio Carlos Jobim
1966
Released his final album with Sinatra titled
Strangers in the Night
1966
1968
Composed music for the television series
Batman
1969
Directed the music for the film
Paint Your Wagon
1970 April 11
Married Naomi Tenenholtz
1972
1973
Worked as the music director for the Emmy Award winning show
The Julie Andrews Hour
1973
Published the textbook
Arranged by Nelson Riddle.
Miami, Florida: Warner Brothers Publishers
1975
Won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for
The Great Gatsby
1977 March 14
Conducted his last three songs with Sinatra: "Linda," "Sweet Lorraine," and
"Barbara"
1982
Approached by Linda Ronstadt to write arrangements for an album of popular
music
1984
Awarded Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals
for
What's New,
a collaborative album with Linda Ronstadt
1985 January 19
Conducted the nationally televised 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala for
President Ronald Reagan
1985
Completed his final collaborative project,
Blue Skies
, with Kori Te Kanawa
1985 October 6
Died in Los Angeles of heart and liver problems
1986
Posthumously won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement
Accompanying Vocals for
Lush Life,
a collaborative album with Linda Ronstadt that was released in
1984
Hugo Winterhalter
Date
Event
1909 August 15
Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Hugo "Hugh" Winterhalter (1880-1944)
and Margaret "Mary" Gallagher (1881-1950)
1931
Graduated from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where
he studied saxophone and sang in two choirs
circa 1932
Married Mary Margaret Hardey (1911-1977)
1930s
1940s
Performed as a sideman and arranger for Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, and
others
1948
Musical director at MGM Records
1949
Moved to Columbia Records
Arranged, conducted, and recorded
"Jealous Heart"
and
"Blue Christmas"
1950
Began arranging for RCA Victor
1952
Winterhalter's arrangement of
"Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes"
recorded by Perry Como and The Ramblers sold more than a million
copies, earning Winterhalter just one of his many "gold" records
Recorded
Great Music Themes of Television
, thought to be the first recorded collection of television theme
music
1956
His arrangement of
"Canadian Sunset"
reached no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold more than one
million copies
1959
Received Grammy nomination for Best Performance by an Orchestra for the
album
Two Sides of Winterhalter
1963
Moved to independent label Kapp Records
circa 1965
Left Kapp Records to work on Broadway and in the television
industry
1969
Last chart single "Theme from
Popi
" released by Musicor Records
1973 September 17
Died in Greenwich, Connecticut
Scope and Content Note
The Musical Arrangements for Billy Eckstine span the years 1950 to 1957 and consist
exclusively of [Music](NR01)
materials. These include holograph scores and printed parts for arrangements of popular
songs that Nelson Riddle and Hugo Winterhalter created for Eckstine, such as covers of
works by Duke Ellington, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Sarah Vaughan, and Lester Allen.
Organization of the Musical Arrangements for Billy Eckstine
The collection is arranged in one series:
-
[Music, 1950-1957](NR01)
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC
Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and
by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Eckstine, Billy.
Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974.
Riddle, Nelson--Autographs.
Riddle, Nelson.
Rodgers, Richard, 1902-1979. South Pacific. Selections; arranged.
Vaughan, Sarah, 1924-1990.
Winterhalter, Hugo, 1909-1973--Autographs.
Winterhalter, Hugo, 1909-1973.
Subjects
Jazz.
Musicals--Excerpts, Arranged--Scores.
Popular music--United States--1941-1950.
Popular music--United States--1951-1960.
Titles
Nelson Riddle arrangements for Billy Eckstine, 1950-1957
Form/Genre
Arrangements (Music)
Autographs (Manuscripts)
Excerpts.
Jazz.
Musicals.
Popular music.
Scores.
Songs.
Container List
1-7
Music, 1950-1957
1950-1957
The series consists of holograph scores and printed parts, some of which are
annotated, for arrangements that Nelson Riddle and Hugo Winterhalter created for
Billy Eckstine during the 1950s. Riddle’s arrangements of Duke Ellington’s songs
are especially notable and include a piano-vocal score for his the jazz standard
"Sophisticated Lady" (1932), as well as holograph scores for "Do Nothin’" (1940),
"Don’t Get Around Anymore" (1942), and "I Got it Bad," which Ivie Anderson first
premiered in the 1941 revue Jump for Joy. This series
also contains holograph scores for Eckstine's covers of "Bali Ha’i" and "Younger
than Springtime" from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical South Pacific. Another notable item is the short score for Riddle's
arrangement of Sarah Vaughan’s "You’re Mine You" (1950).
Arranged alphabetically by title.
1/1, 5/1
Afraid to Dream, 1951
1951
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
1/2, 5/2
All the Way, 1957
1957
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
5/3
Bali Ha'i, 1952
1952
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; piano-conductor score; score for voice
and piano
4/4
Because You're Mine,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Piano-conductor score
1/3, 5/4
Blue Illusion, 1957
1957
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
1/4, 5/5
The Chosen Few,
undated
undated
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
1/5, 5/6
Come Back to Me,
undated
undated
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
1/6, 5/7
Condemned for Life, 1956
1956
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
5/8
Do Nothin', undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
5/9
Don't Get Around Much Anymore,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; piano-conductor score
2/1, 5/10
Don't Kiss Me, 1956
1956
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
5/11
Ellington Medley, 1953
1953
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
2/2, 5/12
Farewell to Romance, 1952
1952
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
5/13
Fortune Telling Cards,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
2/3, 6/1
Give It Another Try, 1956
1956
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
6/2
I Got It Bad, undated
undated
Full score; piano-conductor score
6/3
I Laugh to Keep From Crying,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
4/5
I Thought I'd Seen Everything,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Violin part
6/4
If I Loved You, 1952
1952
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; piano-conductor score
2/4, 6/5
If They Ask Me, 1952
1952
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
6/6
I'm in a Mood,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
6/7
It Can't Be Wrong,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
4/6
Kiss of Fire, undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Piano-conductor score
2/5
La De Do De Do,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
6/8
Love Me, 1954
1954
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
6/9
Love Me or Leave Me,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
6/10
More Than You Know,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
2/6, 6/11
Never Like This, 1951
1951
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
2/7, 6/12
No Matter What You've Done, 1950
1950
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
3/1, 7/1
Nonchalant, 1952
1952
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
3/2, 7/2
Oh My Pretty Pretty, 1957
1957
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
7/3
One Sweet Kiss, 1954
1954
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
4/7
People Will Say We're in Love,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Piano-conductor score
7/4
Rendezvous, undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
3/3, 7/5
So Far, 1951-1952
1951-1952
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
3/4, 7/6
Some Enchanted Evening, 1951-1952
1951-1952
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
4/8
Sophisticated Lady,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Piano-conductor score
3/5, 7/7
Take Me Back, 1951
1951
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
3/6, 7/8
The Tennessee Rock and Roll,
undated
undated
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
4/1
That's for Me,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Piano-conductor score; parts
4/2, 7/9
Thrilled, 1956
1956
Arranged by Hugo Winterhalter
Full score; parts
7/10
We Kiss in a Shadow, 1952
1952
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score
4/3
Weaver of Dreams,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Condensed score
Laid in: Lists of song titles
4/9
Younger Than Springtime,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Full score; parts
7/11
You're Mine You,
undated
undated
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
Short score