Biography
Larry Clinton demonstrated remarkable versatility as a composer, arranger, and bandleader, guiding a swing ensemble that ranked among the leading influences on popular music during the closing years of the 1930s, bridging the initial triumphs of Tommy Dorsey and the ascent of Glenn Miller. Born in Brooklyn, he entered the industry through an arranging position on the roster of Ferde Grofé & His Orchestra, established in 1932 following the separation between Grofé and Paul Whiteman; for a period, Clinton also occupied a trumpet seat within that ensemble. After departing from Grofé, he joined the arranging team at the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra while maintaining freelance chart-writing for additional bandleaders. Following the 1935 division of the Dorsey Brothers, Clinton aligned with Jimmy Dorsey, yet it was an arrangement contributed to Tommy Dorsey's group, "The Dipsy Doodle," that brought Clinton public recognition. This success prompted him to assemble his own orchestra toward the end of 1937, featuring the exceptional vocal abilities of Bea Wain alongside the rugged yet engaging delivery of "Boy" Ford Leary. Several late-1930s successes under Clinton involved pieces whose introductions he spearheaded, now overlooked in that context, among them the perennial amateur pianist staple "Heart and Soul" and "Deep Purple."
Clinton specialized in "jazzing the classics," adapting well-known classical themes into dance successes; Claude Debussy's initial piano composition Reverie, for instance, evolved into "My Reverie," achieving massive popularity through a beautiful vocal by Bea Wain. He applied similar treatments to works by Tchaikovsky, Flotow, and the ancient melody "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls," yielding further strong hits—contemporary musicians' gossip regarding these Clinton creations noted that "it goes into one ear and flows out of his pen." Though purists decried "desecration," Clinton justified his approach by explaining his aim to deliver refined music to dancers. His ensemble included capable hot soloists, yet he rarely featured them in improvisations to intensify the energy; consistent with an arranger-led group, focus rested on accurate rendering of his dance arrangements as composed. Additional original works by Clinton proved more intricate, showing affinity for the "egghead jazz" associated with Raymond Scott and Ray Noble, evident in numbers like "Strictly for the Persians" and "The Campbells Are Swingin'." Numerous Clinton originals explored themes of the supernatural and Satanism, including "Midnight in the Madhouse," "Shades of Hades," "The Devil with the Devil," "Satan in Satin," "Study in Surrealism," and a 1938 piece that might have foreshadowed future events—"I Want to Rock (Rock Solid Rock)."
In 1941, Larry Clinton disbanded his large ensemble to enlist in the armed forces as a pilot; commissioned as a flight instructor, he performed commendably and received multiple decorations. Postwar, he contributed to the brief-lived Cosmo label, held a position at Kapp, and revisited his successes via a studio group in high-fidelity audio featuring vocalist Helen Ward for his former label, RCA Victor. Despite these efforts, the big-band era had concluded, leading Clinton to withdraw from music in 1961 and turn toward other pursuits, chiefly the composition of fiction. Critics have unjustly overlooked Clinton's contributions, often labeling them "Mickey Mouse" or devoid of "jazz interest," yet his music exhibited keen intelligence, refinement, and polished performance; Wain stood out particularly as a significant talent, matching the caliber of peers such as Helen Forrest, Nan Wynn, and the young Ella Fitzgerald. Thus, although Larry Clinton's swing band may not have ranked among the most jazz-oriented, it delivered enjoyable and dynamic dance music, and his 214 78-rpm recordings for Victor and Bluebird—the heart of his catalog—merit recollection and valuation on their intrinsic merits. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis
Clinton specialized in "jazzing the classics," adapting well-known classical themes into dance successes; Claude Debussy's initial piano composition Reverie, for instance, evolved into "My Reverie," achieving massive popularity through a beautiful vocal by Bea Wain. He applied similar treatments to works by Tchaikovsky, Flotow, and the ancient melody "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls," yielding further strong hits—contemporary musicians' gossip regarding these Clinton creations noted that "it goes into one ear and flows out of his pen." Though purists decried "desecration," Clinton justified his approach by explaining his aim to deliver refined music to dancers. His ensemble included capable hot soloists, yet he rarely featured them in improvisations to intensify the energy; consistent with an arranger-led group, focus rested on accurate rendering of his dance arrangements as composed. Additional original works by Clinton proved more intricate, showing affinity for the "egghead jazz" associated with Raymond Scott and Ray Noble, evident in numbers like "Strictly for the Persians" and "The Campbells Are Swingin'." Numerous Clinton originals explored themes of the supernatural and Satanism, including "Midnight in the Madhouse," "Shades of Hades," "The Devil with the Devil," "Satan in Satin," "Study in Surrealism," and a 1938 piece that might have foreshadowed future events—"I Want to Rock (Rock Solid Rock)."
In 1941, Larry Clinton disbanded his large ensemble to enlist in the armed forces as a pilot; commissioned as a flight instructor, he performed commendably and received multiple decorations. Postwar, he contributed to the brief-lived Cosmo label, held a position at Kapp, and revisited his successes via a studio group in high-fidelity audio featuring vocalist Helen Ward for his former label, RCA Victor. Despite these efforts, the big-band era had concluded, leading Clinton to withdraw from music in 1961 and turn toward other pursuits, chiefly the composition of fiction. Critics have unjustly overlooked Clinton's contributions, often labeling them "Mickey Mouse" or devoid of "jazz interest," yet his music exhibited keen intelligence, refinement, and polished performance; Wain stood out particularly as a significant talent, matching the caliber of peers such as Helen Forrest, Nan Wynn, and the young Ella Fitzgerald. Thus, although Larry Clinton's swing band may not have ranked among the most jazz-oriented, it delivered enjoyable and dynamic dance music, and his 214 78-rpm recordings for Victor and Bluebird—the heart of his catalog—merit recollection and valuation on their intrinsic merits. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis
Albums
My Million Sellers! (Digitally Remastered)
2010
Studies In Clinton
1996
Shades Of Hades
1995
Presenting Larry Clinton
1937
Singles
