Del Courtney

Del Courtney was an American bandleader and occasional actor. His band played at San Francisco Giants games in the early days of Candlestick Park, and at Oakland Raiders games in the 1960s and 1970s.

Background

Earning the nickname "Old Smoothie" for the smooth dance tunes he and his band would play, he had a career that lasted over seven decades.

Born in 1910, Courtney was originally from Oakland, California.[1] At the age of 9, he started playing piano. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, and while there he earned two degrees. One was a master's degree in music and the other a teacher's degree. Instead of teaching, the career path he chose was that of a professional musician.[2]

Career

1930s

Having graduated from university, and having formed his first band at the Claremont Hotel, he became immensely popular in the Bay Area. He was also getting record deals and contracts for radio shows. During the mid-1930s, he toured Seattle and playing the ballrooms and hotels there. It wasn't the most commercial of ventures so he returned to California. There he recorded regularly and played to full venues.[3]

1940s to 1950s

In the mid-1940s, he was playing at the Blackhawk Restaurant, a popular venue where he was a top-line favorite.[4] In early 1948, Courtney was playing his sixth engagement at the Rose Room at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. At that time, his band consisted of trumpet players, George Rank, Seymour Solk, and Billy Petri. Trombone players were Rick Meyer and Johnny Strong. Saxophonists were Doug Lowery, Rick Sanders, Johnny Shepherd and Ken MacCoulou. The rhythm section consisted of Bob Moonan on Piano, Val Eddy on bass, Mel Severs on guitar, and Ellis Stickey on drums. The vocalists were Gloria Foster and Gil Vester. Lee Zhhito gave him a favorable review in the February 7 issue of The Billboard magazine.[5]

In October 1958, his album Dancing 'Til Daybreak LP, which was released on Capitol Records, received a favorable review in Billboard. It contained four songs and four medleys.[6][7]

1960s

On July 3, 1964, both Courtney and Les Malloy became the owners of radio station KSAN. Courtney was also musical director of The Oakland Raiders.[8][9]

1990s

In the mid-1990s, he came out of retirement to occasionally front a big band. This was in response to what has been referred to as the "Swing revival". At the age of 93 but not in the best of health, he was playing once a month.[10]

Death

After a bout pneumonia that he had for a week, he died at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu aged 95 in February 2006.[11]

Television and Film roles

From December 1949 through 1956, Courtney hosted a television interview show on stations KGO and KPIX. He also had a part in the 1959 film The Hideous Sun Demon. In the Robert Clarke directed sci-fi, he played the role of a radio DJ.[12][13]

References
  1. Modesto Radio Museum Del Courtney San Francisco Band Leader
  2. SFGate, Friday, February 17, 2006 Del Courtney -- big band leader fondly known as 'Old Smoothie' - Jim Doyle
  3. Modesto Radio Museum Del Courtney San Francisco Band Leader
  4. Chicago Tribune, March 4, 1945 Del Courtney Earning New Laurels at Blackhawk
  5. The Billboard, February 7, 1948 Page 40, Music, ON THE STAND, (Del Courtney) - Lee Zhito
  6. Billboard, October 20, 1958 Page 20, * Reviews and Ratings of New Popular Albums, Dancing Till Daybreak, Del Courtney Ork., Capitol T 1070
  7. Discogs Del Courtney And His Orchestra – Dancing 'Til Daybreak
  8. Bay Area Radio Museum KSAN 1450 Radio, San Francisco, Jumpin' George Oxford, 1955
  9. The Death of Black Radio: The Story of America's Black Radio Personalities by Bernie Hayes Page 35 Bernie Hayes
  10. Big Band Library, July 2004 DEL COURTNEY, "The Old Smoothie. . . Today!" by Christopher Popa
  11. East Bay Times, February 14, 2006 Big-band leader Del Courtney dies By Angela Hill
  12. Imdb The Hideous Sun Demon (1959), Full Cast & Crew
  13. Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Flashbacks: Conversations with 24 Actors from the Golden Age, By Tom Weaver Page 98 The Hideous Sun Demon (1959)
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