Al Sack

Al Sack (circa 1946)

Al Sack(January 3, 1911 – December 6, 1947) was aconductor,composer,arranger,andviolinistwhose career spanned from the late 1920s up until his death in 1947. He is primarily associated with his work on radio and records through partnerships with artists likeTony Martin,Andy Russell,Gracie Fields,Dinah Shore,andRoy Rogers.

Biography

Albert E. Sack was born inNew York, New York,to Stara and Benjamin Sack. His parents settled early on in his life in Cleveland, Ohio, where his musical talents were developed through the study of violin and composition technique. His father, a tailor by trade, was an amateur musician and planted the seed of love for music in his son. Al Sack credited his violin skills, which received considerable acclaim throughout his life, to his teacher, Rudolph Ringwall (assistant conductor of theCleveland Symphony Orchestra,1926–1934).

In 1928, at the age of 17, he received his first professional job as a violinist in the orchestra of theNBCradio affiliate in Cleveland. He stayed with the orchestra for six years, where he would ultimately conduct. From 1936 to 1938 he toured the U.S. and Canada as a conductor with the highly popular vaudevillian comedy team ofOlsen and Johnson.After the tour ended he moved toLos Angeleswhere he became the first violinist with theKHJradio orchestra.

From 1940 through 1943, Sack expanded his talents by arranging forDavid Roseon theCalifornia Melodiesprogram. The show included Hollywood stars like Dinah Shore, Gracie Fields,Ginny Simms,andFrank Sinatra.During this time Sack came to the attention ofPaul Whiteman,who hired him in the summer of 1943 to be his associate director and chief arranger. The partnership with Paul Whiteman led to Sack's hiring as the music director for theNBC Blue Network,where he worked on many shows, includingThe Beulah ShowandThe Adventures of Maisie.A few of the stars that he conducted for at the network included Tony Martin,Eddie Cantor,Andy Russell,Ann Sothern,Fred Astaire,and Dinah Shore.

Sack's work also extended to motion pictures, where he went largely uncredited. In 1939 he served as a violin double forLeslie HowardinDavid Selznick's picture,Intermezzo.Beginning in 1944 he began working withWalt Disney Studiosas an orchestrator and conductor on the filmsThe Three Caballeros,Make Mine Music,andMelody Time— he received credit for the latter.

In 1945 Sack began recording forBlack and White Records.During a period of less than two years he made three highly successful albums under his own name calledVelvet Moods,Latin Moods,andMagic Moods.Some of his popular compositions, included “Moonlight Memoirs,” “Midnight Reveries,” “Love You Dearly,” and “In a Breeze."

He was the musical director for the 1946 Disney animated featureMake Mine Music.

His health suffered throughout his life fromrheumatic heart disease,which afflicted him since a child. On December 6, 1947, he suffered a fatalheart attackwith the official cause of death listed asbronchial pneumonia.He was survived by his wife, Rose (1912-1972), and his daughter, Stara (1937-2011).

Tony Martin

Tony Martin, Al Sack, and Jimmy Wallington. Al Sack receives a Gold Cup Distinguished Radio Award.

Throughout the mid-1940s Sack also worked extensively with singer Tony Martin. Most notably he served as the music director forThe Tony Martin Showon radio, which resulted in the 1946 Gold Cup Distinguished Radio Award by Orchestra World magazine. He also produced a number of hit singles on Mercury Records with Tony Martin. One record, "To Each His Own," achieved a gold record sales certification.

Discography

• Velvet Moods(Black and White Records, 1947)
• Latin Moods(Black and White Records, 1947)
• Magic Moods(Black and White Records, 1947)

External links

• http://music.arizona.edu/about_us/research/