George Greeley
| George Greeley | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Georgio Guariglia |
| Born |
July 23, 1917 Westerly, Rhode Island, USA |
| Died | May 26, 2007 (aged 89) Los Angeles, USA |
| Genres | Easy listening, Jazz, Classical, Film score, Musical, Soundtrack, Electronic |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, Conductor, Composer, Arranger |
| Instruments | Piano, harpsichord, mandolin |
| Years active | 1940s - 1980s |
| Labels | Capitol Records, Warner Brothers, Reprise, RCA, |
George Greeley (born Georgio Guariglia; July 23, 1917 – May 26, 2007) was an Italian-American pianist, conductor, composer, arranger, recording artist and record producer who is known for his extensive work across the spectrum of the entertainment industry. Starting as an arranger and pianist with several notable big bands in the 1940s, he segued into the Hollywood radio scene, working on several nationally-broadcast variety programs. After conducting an Army Air Force Band during World War II, he was hired by Columbia Pictures as a staff pianist and orchestrator. He worked as pianist on several hundred motion pictures, worked with many famous composers orchestrating their soundtrack compositions, and created original compositions of his own in several dozen movies. It was Greeley's hands that performed the piano parts that Tyrone Power mimed in The Eddy Duchin Story. Concurrent with his work at Columbia Pictures, George Greeley also worked at Capitol Records as music director, pianist, and conductor for many artists such as Gordon MacRae, Jane Powell, Jo Stafford, Frankie Laine, and Doris Day. He was hired in the late 1950s by the newly established Warner Brothers Records. George Greeley arranged, orchestrated and performed as primary artist for a series of hit recordings entitled "Popular Piano Concertos." As music tastes changed in the late 1960s, Greeley had already moved into television, composing themes and music for popular TV series like My Favorite Martian, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Nanny and the Professor, and Small Wonder. He performed as featured piano soloist and as guest conductor in concert appearances around the world. George Greeley died from emphysema at age 89 in Los Angeles, California.
Greeley was born Georgio Guariglia in Westerly, Rhode Island on 23 July 1917. His family was newly emigrated from Italy. The Guariglia family contained many brothers who were musically gifted and could pick up almost any instrument to play. His father, James, had three music schools, and a traveling orchestra. Georgio was taught to read music at an early age and was playing piano and mandolin when he was five years old. He often sat at the piano beside his father, playing father-son recitals. He studied music at Columbia University, where he met and formed a long-time friendship with Paul Weston. They would work together in later years at Capitol Records, and Columbia Records. George Greeley won a scholarship to the Juilliard School in New York, where he studied piano and composition, graduating in 1939. He also studied music at the University of Southern California, and took private instruction from in composition.
...
Wikipedia