| Will Hudson | |
| Birth Name: | Arthur Murray Hainer |
| Birth Place: | Grimsby, Ontario |
| Death Place: | Isle of Palms, South Carolina |
| Genre: | Popular music |
| Occupation: | Composer, arranger |
| Years Active: | mid-1930s to mid-1950 |
Will Hudson (né Arthur Murray Hainer; March 8, 1908 – July 16, 1981) was a Canadian-born American composer, arranger, and big band leader who worked from the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s.[1]
Hudson was born in Grimsby, Ontario, March 8, 1908. Print-media biographies 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 . He grew up in Detroit and graduated from Southeastern High School in June 1926. Hainer put together his first big band in Detroit in the early 1930s. Hudson became a United States citizen on April 14, 1941.
Biographical sources for Will Hudson (né Arthur Murray Hainer; March 8, 1908 Grimsby, Ontario – July 16, 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.
According to a manifest by the U.S. Department of Labor, Hainer had moved from Canada to the United States on November 14, 1909, and remained in the U.S. until July 14, 1928, before moving back to Canada, to reside at 152 Dougall Ave, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He lived at 1805 West Grand Blvd, Detroit. The manifest indicates that he moved out of Detroit on November 7, 1929.
Hudson joined ASCAP in 1934.
At some point 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 was a dance-band arranger, and co-leader with Eddie DeLange of the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra. Singers with the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra included Ruth Gaylor, in 1936; Mitchell Ayres (né Meyer Agress; 1910–1969), in 1937; Georgia Gibbs (formerly Fredda Gibson; née Frieda Lipschitz; 1919–2006); and Nan Wynn. When the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra was at the height of its popularity, around 1940, Hudson had to withdraw for health reasons.
Hudson led his own band, the Will Hudson Orchestra, from 1939 to about 1941. Singers included Kay Kenny; Elisse Cooper, who, in 1944 married saxophonist Joseph Gabriel "Gabe" Gelinas; Jayne Dover (née Jane Rappaport), while signing with Van Alexander Orchestra; and Ruth Gaylor.
Eddie DeLange co-led with Hudson the Hudson DeLange Orchestra and wrote the lyrics to several songs composed by Hudson. Notable musicians involved with the band include George Siravo (also with the Will Hudson Orchestra; on the clarinet), Edward ("Doc") Goldberg (bass); Mitchell Ayres, Mitchell Parish (lyricist), Georgia Gibbs (vocalist), Nan Wynn (vocalist), and Gus Bivona (clarinet).
In 1941, Hudson began focusing on arranging, full-time.
Hudson enlisted in the U.S. Army March 6, 1943 (SSN 090 03 4600), and served in the U.S. Army Air Force. He became the arranger for the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band. Hudson was discharged September 23, 1945.
In 1948, Hudson enrolled at Juilliard, studying orchestration and composition with Wallingford Riegger, Henry Brant, and Vincent Persichetti — and earned a diploma in 1952 and post-grad diploma in 1953. He also studied composition privately.
His popular-music compositions include "Moonglow" (words Eddie DeLange; ©1934), "Tormented" (©1936), "Sophisticated Swing" (©1936), "Mr. Ghost Goes to Town" (©1937), "Devil's Kitchen" (©1935), "You're Not the Kind" (co-composed with Irving Mills; ©1936); and "Witch Doctor" (©1935).
By 1937, Hudson had composed 50 hits, including:
Many of Hudson's compositions were published by Mills Music.
The Hudson-Delange broadcast on Bandstand and recorded for Brunswick and Decca.
The Big Bands, by George T. Simon, Schirmer Trade Books (1981; 2012)
The Big Band Almanac, by Leo Walker
The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, Barry Dean Kernfeld & Stanley Sadie (eds.)
1st ed. (Hudson in Vol. 1 of 2), Macmillan (1988);
1st ed. (Vols. 1 & 2 combined), St. Martin's Press (1994);
2nd ed. (Hudson in Vol. 2 of 3), Macmillan (2001);