Birth name Arthur Murray Hainer Occupation(s) Composer, arranger Genre Popular music Albums Low Horizon | Genres Popular music Years active mid-1930s to mid-1950 Record label © Dammit Music | |
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Born March 8, 1908
Grimsby, Ontario ( 1908-03-08 ) Died 16 July 1981, Isle of Palms, South Carolina, United States Similar Irving Mills, Eddie DeLange, Mitchell Parish, George Duning, Gene Ammons | ||
Will Hudson (né Arthur Murray Hainer; 8 March 1908 Grimsby, Ontario – 16 July 1981 Isle of Palms, South Carolina) was a Canadian-born American composer, arranger, and big band leader who flourished from the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s. He co-wrote his two biggest hits "Moonglow" and "Organ Grinder's Swing" in 1934 and 1936, respectively. Hudson's scores were recorded by McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1931), Erskine Tate (1931), Cab Calloway (1932), Fletcher Henderson (1933, 1934), Jimmy Lunceford (1933, 1934), Ina Ray Hutton (1934, 1936), the Mills Blue Rhythm Band (1935), Earl Hines, Don Redman, and Ray Noble.
Contents
Career
Arthur Murray Hainer grew-up in Detroit and graduated June 1926 from the city's Southeastern High School. Hainer put together his first big band in Detroit in the early 1930s. As a possible impetus for adopting stage surname, "Hudson," in the early 1930s, he, in 1928, had been a clerk for the Hudson's department store in Detroit on Woodward Avenue. That year (1928), he was listed as living with his parents in Windsor, Ontario — across the border from Detroit.
According to a Manifest by the U.S. Department of Labor, Hainer had moved from Canada to the United States November 14, 1909, and remained in the U.S. until July 14, 1928, before moving back to Canada, to reside at 152 Dougal, Windsor, Canada. He lived at 1805 West Grand (Detroit or Windsor?). The Manifest indicates that he moved out of Detroit November 7, 1929.
At some point in during the early 1930s, Hudson became a staff arranger for Irving Mills, writing stock arrangements. Mills — notable in various roles in the development of swing and jazz — was as much a promoter of songwriters, arrangers, and big bands as he was a publisher. Mills was known to have included his name as co-author of works that he did not write, but published. This was a common method of including music promoters in royalties.
Hudson-DeLange Orchestra
Hudson was a dance-band arranger, and co-leader with Eddie DeLange of the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra. By 1937, Hudson had composed 50 hits, including:
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Hudson led his own band from 1939 to about 1941. Singers included:
Post 1940 career
World War II
Post-World War II
Selected works that have endured over time
Name change
Biographical sources for Will Hudson (né Arthur Murray Hainer; 8 March 1908 Grimsby, Ontario – 16 July 1981 Isle of Palms, South Carolina) often incorrectly state that he was born in Barstow, California. He changed his name sometime between 1931 and 1933 — after his marriage to Eleanor Radtke (born 1912) in Detroit on August 15, 1931, and before his compositions were copyrighted under his new name. (see citation for Naturalization Petition)
Collaborators
Eddie DeLange, co-led with Hudson the Hudson DeLange Orchestra and wrote the lyrics to several songs composed by Hudson
Selected copyrights
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Family and growing up
Hudson was born in Grimsby, Ontario, March 8, 1909. Print-media biographies universally state that he was born in Barstow, California. However, Hudson's U.S. Naturalization application indicates otherwise. Grimsby, then of Lincoln County, the county of which, in 1970, became amalgamated into a county-like governmental body known as the Regional Municipality of Niagara. Hudson, with his parents, immigrated to the United States November 13, 1909 — at the age of 1 year, 8 months. He grew-up in Detroit and graduated from Southeastern High School June 1926. Hudson became a United States citizen on April 14, 1941.
Songs
Moonglow
Low Horizon
As My Dreams Begin to Fall