Nat Shilkret
b. Nathaniel Shilkret, 25 December 1895, New York, USA, d. 1982. A clarinettist, composer, arranger, conductor and an executive with Victor Records for many years. Shilkret was also an accomplished classical violinist. Early in his career, he played with the New York Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and the Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra. He also worked in the concert bands of John Philip Sousa and Arthur Pryor, before joining Victor, eventually becoming their Director of Light Music. From 1924-32 he conducted his Victor Orchestra on over 50 US chart hits, including Tell Me You'll Forgive Me, June Brought The Roses, Rio Rita, On The Riviera, All Alone Monday, One Alone, The Riff Song, I Know That You Know, Flapperette, When Day Is Done, What Does It Matter Now?, The Doll Dance, Hallelujah!, Me And My Shadow, It's A Million To One You're In Love, Paree (Ca C'est Paris), Diane, Thinking Of You, Did You Mean It?, Why Do I Love You?, The Sidewalks Of New York, Out Of The Dawn, One Kiss, Marie, You Were Meant For Me, Pagan Love Song, Love Me, Chant Of The Jungle, Get Happy and Delishious. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes was his most successful record, reaching number 1 in the US chart. Vocalists on some of those tracks included Vernon Dalhart, Lewis James, Carl Mattieu, Johnny Marvin, the Revellers, Elliott Shaw, Franklyn Baur, and Paul Small. Shilkret also provided the orchestral accompaniment for many other Victor artists, such as Allan Jones, who had a big hit with The Donkey Serenade, from the film The Firefly (1937). He was the conductor on Indian Love Call, a hit for Jeanette MacDonald with Nelson Eddy, NELSON EDDY FAVORITES and Jane Froman's GEMS FROM GERSHWIN. Some of his own compositions, too, were recorded successfully, by Buddy Berigan and Jimmie Lunceford (The First Time I Saw You), the Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra (Down The River Of Broken Dreams), and Ben Selvin and Gene Austin(Jeannie, I Dream Of Lilac Time). With Austin, Shilkret wrote his best remembered song, The Lonesome Road, which was included in the Jerome Kern/ Oscar Hammerstein II score for the part-talking movie version of Show Boat (1927). Thirty years later Frank Sinatraremembered it on his Capitol release, A SWINGIN’ AFFAIR. Shilkret also composed several classical pieces, such as New York Ballet and Southern Humoresque. Throughout the '30s he worked extensively on radio in such shows as HALL OF FAME, CAMEL CARAVAN, RELAXATION TIME, PALMOLIVE BEAUTY BOX THEATRE and his own programmes. In 1935 he moved to Hollywood and, for the next 20 or so years as an arranger, conductor and musical director, contributed to a great many movies, including THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS (starring Barbara Stanwyck); Mary Of Scotland (an historical drama, staring Katharine Hepburn, John Ford and Frederic March); THE TOAST OF NEW YORK (with Cary Grant), SHE WENT TO THE RACES, THE HOODLUM SAINT, KENTUCKY DERBY STORY and AIRLINE GLAMOUR GIRLS. One of the last films he worked on, in 1953, was a short about fishing entitled FLYING TARPONS. He also contributed the occasional film song, such as Heart Of A Gypsy (with Robert Shayon), for THE BOHEMIAN GIRL, and King Of The Road (with Eddie Cherkose), for MUSIC FOR MADAME.