Biography
Born on 21 September 1910 in Oakland, California, and passing away on 11 February 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Del Courtney earned the nickname “The Old Smoothie.” His dance orchestra enjoyed steady popularity at hotels across the United States both before and after World War II. The group was assembled in California during 1933, securing its initial engagement at Berkeley’s Claremont Hotel. Earlier, Courtney had performed with Al Hill, and the ensemble later incorporated the voices of Dotty Dotson, Judith Blair, and Gil Vester to support its warmly romantic repertoire. Professional engagements followed at such prestigious venues as the Roosevelt in New Orleans, the New Yorker and Ambassador in New York, the Edgewater and Stevens in Chicago, the Adolphus in Dallas, and the Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu. Returning to California during the 1950s, the band appeared in one of the earliest broadcasts of The Sylvania Programme. Recognizing fresh opportunities in the new medium, Courtney eventually stepped away from leading orchestras to open a television dealership in the San Francisco Bay area. He also entered radio, becoming a familiar disc jockey on KSFO. In his free time he assembled another ensemble on a part-time basis, presenting local performances and a seasonal engagement at Lake Tahoe. After leaving KSFO, he served as director of the band for the Oakland Raiders football franchise and appeared regularly on The King Family Television Show throughout the 1960s. Entering the new century, Courtney resumed performing with his musicians at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, continuing until his retirement following his 94th birthday.
Albums
