Harry James is an American musician whose incredible trumpet playing has forever secured him as one of the greatest trumpet players of the swing era.
Biography
The future musician Harry James was born in the American city of Albany on March 15, 1916. The boy's parents were circus workers. My father directed the circus orchestra and played the trumpet there. Mom was an air gymnast. Childhood spent in a circus environment gave Harry the opportunity to try his hand at the stage very early. At the age of four, he performed on stage as a gymnast. But playing the trumpet brought him real joy. Music lessons fascinated Harry so much that at the age of six he successfully performed in circus shows. Creativity took up most of the boy's time, so education faded into the background. At fourteen, Harry James refused to continue his studies, devoting himself to music. The impetus for this decision was the victory in the American music competition, where he performed as a trumpet player from Beaumont High School - the city where Harry's family usually "wintered". The career of a talented trumpeter developed rapidly and successfully.
He collaborated with many famous musicians, acted in films, toured America and Europe. A big fan of horse racing, James has been involved in funding and organizing horse racing and racing. I also bought several racehorses that won various competitions. In 1983, Harry James learned that he was seriously ill. He was diagnosed with cancer of the lymphatic gland. However, the disease did not become an excuse to abandon the rhythm of life that is usual for a musician. But he did not stop working, performing on stage.
The last concert in the life of Harry James took place nine days before his death. On July 5, 1983, the outstanding swing trumpeter departed from this world. It happened in Las Vegas. Numerous artists, musicians and friends came to see Harry James on his last journey.
Harry James learned to play the trumpet early. A real passion for music and instruments allowed him at the age of twelve to become the leader of one of the Christie brothers' circus groups, where his parents worked. A few years later, after leaving school in Beaumont for good, Harry began performing professionally with local bands. And at the age of nineteen he managed to get into the orchestra of the famous drummer Ben Polosk. But the collaboration with Harry Goodman became really productive for the young musician. Working with the "King of Swing" helped James to reach a new, higher level of skill. Inspired by his creative success and growing professionalism, Harry James decided to create his own orchestra. In 1939 in Philadelphia the debut performance of the newly created musician of the group took place. For many members of the orchestra, the project was a good starting point. Frank Sinatra, Kitty Calan, Helen Forrest, Buddy Rich, Dick Haymes, and others began collaborating with Harry James. The joint creativity of energetic, talented young people contributed to the "birth" of wonderful music. The most popular were the compositions of the orchestra entitled "The Carnival Of Venice", "The Flight Of The Bumble Bee", "I cried For You", "You Made Me Love You". Also, the orchestra took part in the filming of the films Two Girls And A Sailor, Carnegie Hall, Springtime In The Rockies. However, in 1946, James decides to disband his orchestra, and he continues his performances in Las Vegas. He is also interested in filming a movie.
The most successful work of Harry James in the post-war work - a collaboration with the singer Doris Day in 1950 and 1951, the composition "Castle Rock", recorded in a duet with Frank Sinatra. And in 1955, Harry was invited to take part in the filming of the biographical film "The Story of Benny Goodman". After completing the filming of the film, he released an album of his best songs, which was included in the top 10 albums. In 1957, James made his first major tour of Europe. In the following years, he combined performances in America, international tours and performances in Las Vegas. Harry James was associated with music until the end of his life and did not leave work on the embodiment of new ideas.
Harry James's personal life was no less intense than his creative one. When a respectable man in a snow-white suit with excellent manners and obvious musical talent took the stage, the women seemed to be fascinated watching his every move. He was officially married three times. The first wife of James was Louise Tobin, an American singer. In this union, the musician had two children.
In 1943, the couple separated and Harry James married Betty Grable, a famous American actress. This marriage lasted until 1965 and gave Harry two more children. Three years later, the musician married again. This time, the chosen one of Harry James was a girl performing in one of the Las Vegas shows, Joan Boyd. The marriage was short-lived. They divorced two years later. But, despite the transience of this relationship, Joan gave the musician a fifth child. And although there is an opinion that Harry James was also in other marriages, this is wrong. Until the end of his days, he never married.
