Clinton, Larry
Clinton, Larry
Clinton, Larry, swing-era arranger, composer, leader, trumpeter; b. Brooklyn, N.Y., Aug. 17, 1909; d. Tucson, Ariz., May 2, 1985. A prolific freelance arranger from the early 1930s, he scored for Ferde Grofe, Isham Jones, Casa Loma, Claude Hopkins, Louis Armstrong, Bunny Berigan, and Tommy Dorsey, for whom he wrote many hits. Clinton is principally remembered for the big swing band that he led (1937–41). He used the Dorsey hit “The Dipsy Doodle” as his theme and made over 200 sides for RCA in less than four years, more than 30 of them big hits, mostly songs like “My Reverie” and “Deep Purple” (1938–39). He was known for “swinging the classics.” He served in the Army Air Force (1942–46), including long posting in the Orient. Clinton temporarily reorganized his own band (1948–50), recording for U.S. Decca; he had a few more hits. In later years, he was active as an A&R man for N.Y. record companies and in music publishing.
—Music Master Jazz and Blues Catalogue/Lewis Porter