Bobby Hammack


Robert Vernor Hammack, Jr. was an American musician, originally from Texas, whose principal instrument was jazz piano. He led a prolific career in Los Angeles as a pianist, organist, conductor, arranger, and composer in live venues, broadcast studios for radio and television, and recording studios for records, radio, television, and film. Hammack flourished in a wide spectrum of genres that included dixieland, Blues, swing, sweet dance music '', easy listening, gospel, liturgical jazz, musical theatre, Tin Pan Alley, classical, and film score.

Career

In 1949, Hammack began appearing KLAC-TV as studio band pianist and, in 1950, guest host — Don Otis Show — and eventually host — Bobby Hammack and Joy Lane. Hammack was the West Coast musical director of the ABC-TV and radio networks between 1958 and 1963, during which he conducted his own orchestra and scored music for several TV shows, including Ed Sullivan, Glen Campbell, Red Skelton, and Johnny Mann's Stand-Up and Cheer. Hammack then was a conductor and a pianist for NBC. He joined ASCAP in 1958. Hammack's popular song compositions include I'm Going Home, Eliza, and You Bug Me.
Hammack got his first break playing piano for Red Nichols as one of his post-war Five Pennies, appearing with Nichols in a number of film shorts in the early 1950s. Hammack also worked as a freelance arranger and writer for Bob Crosby, Lawrence Welk, and Tony Osborne. His version of Raymond Scott's Powerhouse is featured on several space age pop compilations, and he also recorded with Esquivel.

Formal education

Hammack earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in music, from the University of Texas at Austin in 1945. He had entered as a freshman in the fall 1938, but, beginning September 21, 1942, spent two years in the Air Force, stationed at Muskogee, Oklahoma. At Texas, he studied piano at the newly established College of Fine Arts with Thomas Arthur Gorton, PhD, who, in addition to being a concert pianist, went on to become Dean of the School of Fine Arts at the University of Kansas from 1950 to 1975.
He graduated from Paris High School in 1938. Hammack was also a proficient trombonist. While in high school and college, Hammack led his own dance orchestra.

Selected discography

As leader
As leader of the back-up musical group
As keyboardist
As composer/arranger
As conductor
Orchestra leader
Composer
  1. Seaside Westside
  2. The Big Jump
  3. The Case of the Slippery Slipsy
  4. How to Raise Children Without Really Trying
  5. Mickey Crashes the Movies
  6. The Way the Fortune Cookie Crumbles
  7. Goodnight, Whoever You Are
  8. Nobody Buys Retail
  9. Hard Work Never Hurt Anyone
  10. Honest Injun
  11. Somebody's Been Sleeping in My Bed
  12. For the Love of Grandpa Toddie
  13. One More Kiss
  14. Luck O' the Irish
  15. The Elephant Mickey Won't Forget
  16. Be My Guest
  17. Mickey Takes Over
  1. Hooray for Love
Music department
  1. Summer Magic: Part 2 TV episode
  2. Summer Magic: Part 1 TV episode
Actor
Sideman