1. Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen was born on July 7,1927 and is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
30 Facts About Doc Severinsen
1. 2.
Doc Severinsen was nicknamed Doc after his father, the only dentist in Arlington, who was born in Germany to a Danish father and a Swiss mother.
3.
Doc Severinsen's father played violin and wanted him to play it as well, but Doc Severinsen wanted to play trombone.
4.
Doc Severinsen's mother threatened to spank him if he didn't practice.
5.
Doc Severinsen proved to have a knack for the instrument, and was in a high school band when he was seven.
6.
Doc Severinsen started a quartet called the Blue Notes that performed at local dances.
7.
Doc Severinsen served in the Army during World War II.
8.
Doc Severinsen was a member of Sam Donahue's band between 1946 and 1951.
9.
In 1949, Doc Severinsen landed a job as a studio musician for NBC, where he accompanied Steve Allen, Eddie Fisher, Dinah Shore, and Kate Smith, and was a member of the original band for Tonight Starring Steve Allen, and was the soloist playing the closing theme.
10.
The leader of The Tonight Show Band, Skitch Henderson, asked him to return as first-chair trumpeter in 1962 for what had become The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and five years later, after Milton Delugg, Doc Severinsen was leading the band.
11.
Doc Severinsen became one of the most popular bandleaders, appearing almost every night on television.
12.
Doc Severinsen led the band during commercials and while guests were introduced.
13.
Doc Severinsen joked with Johnny Carson, the show's host, and developed an amusing habit of wearing gaudy clothing.
14.
Doc Severinsen often cried "key of E", his signal for the band to strike up a western theme, and then he would enthusiastically sing a country music-flavored nonsense song.
15.
Doc Severinsen substituted for Ed McMahon on occasions when Ed was absent as Carson's announcer and sidekick.
16.
Doc Severinsen typically assumed this role when the show featured a guest host, which became increasingly frequent during the program's later years.
17.
Tommy Newsom was usually the band's substitute director when Doc Severinsen was away from the show or filling in for McMahon.
18.
Doc Severinsen continued as bandleader until Carson's retirement in May 1992.
19.
Doc Severinsen appeared on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show in February 2015 when the show traveled to Los Angeles for a week.
20.
Doc Severinsen released an album with the jazz fusion group Xebron in 1985.
21.
Doc Severinsen performed with high school bands, in particular in the 1970s with Don Caneva's John Hersey High School Bands, which recorded four albums.
22.
Doc Severinsen performed the "Star-Spangled Banner" on at least three nationally telecast occasions; however, the first two renditions were marred by problems.
23.
Doc Severinsen performed the anthem again, as well as "O Canada", at the 1989 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Anaheim, California.
24.
Doc Severinsen is credited for co-writing the hit song "Stop and Smell the Roses" with Mac Davis, although both parties agree that Doc Severinsen only came up with the title.
25.
Doc Severinsen was the principal pops conductor for several American orchestras during and after his time on The Tonight Show.
26.
Doc Severinsen then held similar positions with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Minnesota Orchestra.
27.
Doc Severinsen retired from conducting in 2007 and was named Pops Conductor Emeritus in Milwaukee and Pops Conductor Laureate in Minnesota.
28.
Doc Severinsen performed his final concert, accompanied by his San Miguel 5 group, on September 1,2022, in Saratoga Springs, New York.
29.
In 1992, after The Tonight Show, Doc Severinsen moved to Mexico with his wife, and formed a new band, The San Miguel Five.
30.
Doc Severinsen has been quoted as saying that he has been married four times.