The John Scott Trotter Orchestra
| John Scott Trotter | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 14, 1908 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | October 29, 1975 (aged 67) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Classical music, big band |
| Occupation(s) | Arranger, composer, orchestra leader |
| Years active | 1925-1975 |
| Associated acts | Hal Kemp, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Spike Jones, George Gobel |
John Scott Trotter (June 14, 1908–October 29, 1975), also known as Uncle John was an American arranger, composer and orchestra leader.
Trotter was best known for conducting the John Scott Trotter Orchestra which backed singer and entertainer Bing Crosby on record and on his radio programs from 1937 to 1954.
Trotter was born John Scott Trotter, Jr. on June 14, 1908 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was born to parents John Scott Trotter (June 26, 1881–August 8, 1949) and Lelia Trotter (née Bias) (May 10, 1885–July 7, 1965).
Trotter attended local schools in Charlotte. He also studied piano under Ida Moore Alexander. In 1925, Trotter entered the University of North Carolina. It was there that Trotter began his career as a professional musician playing the piano for a college band led by Hal Kemp. Kemp had entered the university in 1922 and was graduated in 1926, but Trotter withdrew near the end of his first year to join Kemp's band as pianist and arranger, a position he held until 1936.
After leaving Kemp's band, Trotter did some work in Hollywood where he handled the orchestrations for Columbia Pictures Pennies from Heaven which was his first work with Bing Crosby. This would start a 17-year professional association with Crosby, although Trotter and Crosby had first met in 1929 in New York City at the Manger Hotel while Crosby was working with Paul Whiteman's orchestra.
Trotter recalled the background to his involvement with Pennies from Heaven in an interview with Canadian broadcaster Gord Atkinson. He had been asked by Johnny Burke if he wanted to do the orchestrations for the film. This was one of the first independent film productions. Crosby was then under contract to Paramount but Pennies from Heaven was done at Columbia as an independent and nobody was set to do the music. Trotter told Burke that he hadn’t come out to work and that seemed to be that. A week later, Burke asked, ‘Would you help Arthur Johnston with the piano parts?’ After much persuasion, Trotter helped Johnston with the piano parts and fell in love with the score which included Pennies from Heaven, So Do I, and One, Two, Button Your Shoe, and also the Skeleton in the Closet. He then decided to complete the orchestrations as the offer was still open. Trotter recalled that the day Pennies from Heaven was recorded, the cameras were rolling with the orchestra on stage; it was not prerecorded as would be usual today. John Scott Trotter considered that Crosby was a past master of lip syncing but it wasn’t done in those days. After completing Pennies from Heaven Trotter went back east.” .
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