Buddy Morrow

Career

Buddy Morrow was just sixteen when he won a scholarship to study trombone at Juilliard under Ernest Horatio Clarke, though his lessons there lasted only from October to December 1936. The next year, he started playing professionally with Sharkey Bonano's Sharks of Rhythm, a group tied to Eddie Condon, and soon moved on to work with Eddy Duchin, Vincent Lopez, and Artie Shaw.

In 1938, he joined Tommy Dorsey's band and took the name Buddy Morrow. The following year, he played on Paul Whiteman's Concert Orchestra recording of Gershwin's Concerto in F. After a brief stint with Tony Pastor in 1940, Morrow replaced Ray Conniff in the Bob Crosby band. During his time in the U.S. Navy, he led a ten-piece band with three trombones, recording with Billy Butterfield and backing Red McKenzie on four songs, including "Sweet Lorraine" and "It's the Talk of the Town."

After the war, Morrow played with Jimmy Dorsey's band and then worked as a freelance studio musician in radio. His work conducting sessions led to bandleading, and in 1951 RCA Victor sponsored him as director of his own band. Their first hit was Jimmy Forrest's "Night Train," a rhythm and blues success. Morrow's early 1950s records "Rose, Rose, I Love You" and "Night Train" made the Billboard charts, with "Night Train" reaching No. 12 on the U.K. Singles Chart in March 1953.

In 1959 and 1960, his orchestra released two albums of American television theme songs, Impact and Double Impact. He was also a member of The Tonight Show Band. From 1977 until his final appearance on September 24, 2010, Morrow led the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. He died three days later at age 91.