Jack Sheldon

Jack Sheldon ranks among jazz’s premier wits, his off-the-cuff speeches matching their humor with their crudeness. That persona has at times eclipsed his strong trumpet work and serviceable vocals. He launched his professional career at thirteen. Relocating to Los Angeles in 1947, he enlisted in the Air Force and performed with military ensembles. Upon discharge Sheldon emerged as a fixture on the West Coast, performing and recording with leading figures that included Jimmy Giuffre, Herb Geller, Wardell Gray, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, Curtis Counce, and Art Pepper. In the 1960s he pursued acting, among other roles headlining the short-lived series Run Buddy Run, while appearing nightly on The Merv Griffin Show. During the 1970s and 1980s he worked with Benny Goodman, Bill Berry’s big band, in studio sessions, and with his own ensembles. He also reached millions of American children as the vocalist on both “Conjunction Junction” and “I’m Just a Bill” from the Schoolhouse Rock! series. Into the mid-’90s Sheldon remained active in the Los Angeles area, often fronting a big band scored by Tom Kubis and releasing records regularly on Concord and his own Butterfly label.