Al Hendrickson

Al Hendrickson
Birth nameAlton Reynolds Hendrickson
Born(1920-05-10)May 10, 1920
Eastland, Texas, U.S.
DiedJuly 19, 2007(2007-07-19) (aged 87)
North Bend, Oregon, U.S.
GenresJazz
OccupationMusician
InstrumentGuitar

Alton Reynolds Hendrickson (May 10, 1920 – July 19, 2007) was an American jazz guitarist and occasional vocalist.

Biography

When he was five years old, Hendrickson's family moved to California, where he grew up. He played early in his career with the Gramercy Five, Ray Linn, Artie Shaw, and Freddie Slack, then worked with Benny Goodman in both smaller and larger ensemble settings. He played with Woody Herman on several occasions in the late 1940s through the end of the 1950s, and also played with Neal Hefti, Bill Holman, Barney Kessel, Johnny Mandel, Billy May, Ray Noble, Andre Previn, Louis Prima, Boyd Raeburn, Shorty Rogers, and Bud Shank. In 1962, he appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival alongside Louie Bellson and Dizzy Gillespie.

He also worked as an accompanist and session musician for many popular vocalists, such as Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Lee Hazlewood, Eartha Kitt, Frankie Laine, Ann-Margret, Dean Martin, Ella Mae Morse, Harry Nilsson, and Elvis Presley (Viva Las Vegas). He also worked with arrangers like Quincy Jones, Henry Mancini, Nelson Riddle, and Lalo Schifrin, and did sessions for television and film.

Hendrickson died of a heart attack at his home in North Bend, Oregon, at the age of 87.[1]

Discography

As sideman

With Ray Conniff

  • Friendly Persuasion (Columbia, 1964)
  • Speak to Me of Love (CBS, 1964)
  • You Make Me Feel So Young (Columbia, 1964)

With Earl Grant

  • The End (Decca, 1958)
  • Beyond the Reef and Other Instrumental Favorites (Decca, 1962)
  • Winter Wonderland (Decca, 1972)

With Frank Sinatra

With others

Bibliography

  • Hendrickson, Al; Almeida, Laurindo; Heitmeyer, Howard; Pitman, Bill; Kessel, Barney; Bain, Bob; Marshall, Jack; Roberts, Howard (1961). West Coast Guitar: Eight Original Solos for Guitar. New York: Leeds Music Corporation. ASIN B0080YPG16.
  • Hendrickson, Al; Orzeck, Art (1974). Encyclopedia of Bass Chords, Arpeggios & Scales. Mel Bay Publications. ISBN 978-0871668233.
  • Hendrickson, Al; Orzeck, Art (2010). Guitar Duets on Great Classic Themes. Mel Bay Publications. ISBN 978-0786631896.

References

  1. ^ Carlton, Jim (2009). "Al Hendrickson (The Adventures of the World's Most-Recorded Guitarist)". Conversations with Great Jazz and Studio Guitarists. Mel Bay Publications. pp. 19–25. ISBN 978-0786651238.

Further reading

Mongan, Norman. "Al Hendrickson". In Kernfeld, Barry (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2nd ed.).