George Williams (musician)

George Dale "The Fox" Williams (November 5, 1917 – April 17, 1988) was a musician, composer, and an arranger for a number of major big bands, including Jimmie Lunceford, Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, Sonny Dunham, and Ray Anthony.[1]

Career

He wrote hit songs, including "Whamboogie" and "It Must Be Jelly ('Cause Jam Don't Shake like That)" for Glenn Miller, "Hamp's Boogie" for Lionel Hampton, "Gene's Boogie" for Krupa, as well as Anthony's hit songs "Lackawanna Local", "The Fox", and "The Bunny Hop" and most of Anthony's recorded arrangements.[2] He wrote arrangements for Harry James, Vaughan Monroe, Charlie Ventura, and his recording band, for which he produced two LPs and an EP in the late 1950s as a leader. In addition, he arranged and conducted the music for Barbra Streisand's first commercial single, "Happy Days Are Here Again". Williams was a ghostwriter for the arrangements on Jackie Gleason's television show and arranged Gleason's albums in the 1950s and 1960s.[3][4][5]

Discography
  • The Fox in HiFi (Brunswick, 1955)
  • Such Beautiful Music (RCA Victor, 1956)
  • Swing Classics in Stereo (United Artists, 1959)
  • Put On Your Dancing Shoes (United Artists, 1960)

As Arranger or conductor

With Louis Bellson

With Roy Eldridge

References
  1. "Big Band Library: Ray Anthony "Mr. Anthony's Band"". www.bigbandlibrary.com. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  2. Feather, Leonard (1960). The New Edition of the Encyclopedia of Jazz. New York: Horizon. p. 463.
  3. Henry III, William A. (1992). The Great One : The Life and Legend of Jackie Gleason (1st ed.). Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-41533-8.
  4. Bacon, James (1986). How Sweet It Is : The Jackie Gleason Story. St. Martin's. ISBN 0-312-90229-8.
  5. "George Williams, Musical Arranger, 71". The New York Times. 21 April 1988. Retrieved 15 May 2020.

Sources
  • Flower, John (1972). Moonlight Serenade: a bio-discography of the Glenn Miller Civilian Band. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House. ISBN 0-87000-161-2.
  • Miller, Glenn (1943). Glenn Miller's Method for Orchestral Arranging. New York: Mutual Music Society. ASIN: B0007DMEDQ
  • Simon, George Thomas (1971). Simon Says. New York: Galahad. ISBN 0-88365-001-0.
  • Simon, George Thomas (1980). Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. New York: Da Capo paperback. ISBN 0-306-80129-9.
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