Tempestuous trumpet doc severinsen biography

Date of Birth:
Jul 7, 1927

In addition to being the single most recognizable (and snazzily dressed) musician on television for decades, Tonight Show bandleader/trumpeter Carl "Doc" Severinsen was a serious jazz musician who played with many of the greats. Born on July 7, 1927 in Arlington, Oregon, Severinsen was a trumpet prodigy, going pro before graduating from high school. After a stint in the Army during WWII, he went to work as a trumpeter for the NBC network in 1949. He began playing on The Tonight Show under bandleader Skitch Henderson in 1962, actually preceding Johnny Carson's arrival as host. He became the bandleader five years later, and remained in that position until 1992 when Carson retired. Severinsen's outrageous outfits and knack for comedic banter did as much as his considerable musical gifts to make him a foil for Carson and a celebrity in his own right. But Severinsen also maintained a sideline as a jazzman. Before ascending to bandleader status for Carson, he recorded with a multitude of jazz giants including Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Oliver Nelson, Anita O'Day, Lena Horne, and many more. He also had a long solo career that began with 1961's Tempestuous Trumpet on the audiophile Command label. He remai

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