Role

:

Composer Conductor

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

June 1, 1921 in Oradell, NJ

Death

:

October 6, 1985 in Los Angeles, CA

Genre

:

Film

 

 

Orchestral

 

Nelson Riddle was an American arranger, composer, and bandleader who was born on June 1, 1921, in Oradell, New Jersey. He was the youngest of four children and grew up in a musical family. His father was a commercial artist who played the piano, and his mother was a church organist. Riddle began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the trombone and trumpet. Riddle attended the University of Illinois, where he studied music and played in the school's jazz band. After graduating in 1942, he joined the United States Army and served as a trombonist in the Army Band. After his discharge in 1946, Riddle moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. In Los Angeles, Riddle began working as a freelance arranger and composer. He quickly gained a reputation for his innovative arrangements and was soon in demand by some of the biggest names in the music industry. In 1950, he was hired by Capitol Records as an arranger and conductor. Riddle's first major success as an arranger came in 1953 when he arranged Nat King Cole's hit song "Mona Lisa." The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and helped establish Riddle as one of the top arrangers in the music industry. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Riddle worked with many of the biggest names in music, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, and Peggy Lee. He arranged and conducted many of Sinatra's most famous albums, including "In the Wee Small Hours" and "Only the Lonely." Riddle's arrangements for Sinatra were known for their lush, romantic sound and helped establish Sinatra as one of the greatest singers of all time. In addition to his work as an arranger, Riddle also released several albums as a bandleader. His albums, which often featured his own arrangements of popular songs, were popular with both critics and audiences. In 1958, he won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for his album "Cross Country Suite." Riddle's work in the film industry was also highly regarded. He composed the scores for several films, including "Li'l Abner" and "The Great Gatsby." He also arranged and conducted the music for many films, including "High Society" and "Pal Joey." In the 1970s, Riddle's career began to slow down as the music industry changed. However, he continued to work on projects, including arranging and conducting Linda Ronstadt's album "What's New," which became a huge commercial success. Riddle died on October 6, 1985, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 64. He left behind a legacy as one of the greatest arrangers and composers in the history of American music. His lush, romantic arrangements continue to be admired and imitated by musicians today.

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