Ozzie Nelson Music Did Ozzie get an education in Music? his entertainment career as a band leader. Did he have a band or was he always a leader? He formed and led the Ozzie Nelson Band, what kind of music did he play in his band? I don't know. Was his band successful? unsold copies Did he have a group on members or was it just him? the band
Did he share his love for music with anyone?
Did Ozzie Nelson share his love for music with anyone?
Nelson started his entertainment career as a band leader. He formed and led the Ozzie Nelson Band, and had some initial limited success. He made his own "big break" in 1930. The New York Daily Mirror ran a poll of its readers to determine their favorite band. He knew that news vendors got credit from the newspaper for unsold copies by returning the front page and discarding the rest of the issue. Gathering hundreds of discarded newspapers, the band filled out ballots in their favor. They edged out Paul Whiteman and were pronounced the winners.  From 1930 through the 1940s, Nelson's band recorded prolifically--first on Brunswick (1930-1933), then Vocalion (1933-1934), then back to Brunswick (1934-1936), Bluebird (1937-1941), Victor (1941) and finally back to Bluebird (1941-through the 1940s). Nelson's records were consistently popular and in 1934 Nelson enjoyed success with his hit song, "Over Somebody Else's Shoulder" which he introduced. Nelson was their primary vocalist and (from August 1932) featured in duets with his other star vocalist, Harriet Hilliard. Nelson's calm, easy vocal style was popular on records and radio and quite similar to son Rick's voice, and Harriet's perky vocals added to the band's popularity.  In 1935, Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra had a number one hit with "And Then Some", which was number one for one week on the U.S. pop singles chart. Ozzie Nelson composed several songs, including "Wave the Stick Blues", "Subway", "Jersey Jive", "Swingin' on the Golden Gate", and "Central Avenue Shuffle".  In October 1935 he married the band's vocalist Hilliard. The couple had two children. David (1936-2011), became an actor and director. Eric ("Ricky") (1940-1985), became an actor and singer. CANNOTANSWER
They edged out Paul Whiteman and were pronounced the winners.
Oswald George Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975) was an American  actor, director, producer, screenwriter, musician, composer, conductor and bandleader. He originated and starred in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, a radio and television series with his wife Harriet and two sons David and Ricky Nelson.

Early life
Nelson was born March 20, 1906 in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. He was the second son of Ethel Irene (née Orr) and George Waldemar Nelson. His paternal grandparents were Swedish and his mother was of English descent. Nelson was raised in Ridgefield Park where he was active in Scouting, earning the rank of Eagle Scout at age 13. He played football at Ridgefield Park High School as well as during his college years at Rutgers University. He was a member of the Cap and Skull fraternity. He graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor's degree and earned a law degree from Rutgers School of Law, Newark, New Jersey, in 1930. Nelson was made a doctor of humane letters by Rutgers University in 1957. As a student he made pocket money playing saxophone in a band and coaching football. Nelson was rejected to be the vocalist for the Rutgers Jazz Bandits, led by Scrappy Lambert and later Hawley Ades. Nelson was not discouraged and was gracious about this rejection when he met Ades years later. During the Depression, he turned to music as a full-time career.

Career

Music

Nelson started his entertainment career as a band leader. He formed and led The Ozzie Nelson Band, and had some initial limited success. Nelson made his own "big break" in 1930, when The New York Daily Mirror ran a poll of its readers to determine their favorite band. Since he knew that news vendors got credit from the newspaper for unsold copies by returning the front page and discarding the rest of the issue, he cannily had his band's members gather hundreds of discarded newspapers and fill out ballots in their own favor. They edged out Paul Whiteman and were pronounced the winners.

From 1930 through the 1940s, Nelson's band recorded prolifically—first on Brunswick (1930–1933), then Vocalion (1933–1934), then back to Brunswick (1934–1936), Bluebird (1937–1941), Victor (1941), and finally back to Bluebird (1941 through the 1940s). Nelson's records were consistently popular, and in 1934, Nelson enjoyed success with his hit song, "Over Somebody Else's Shoulder," which he introduced. Nelson’s primary vocalist was Rose Anne Stevens, who appeared in the 1942 movie Down Rio Grande Way and Tomorrow We Live. Later in his big band career, Harriet Hilliard replaced Stevens, after the latter's marriage to Colonel Weller. Nelson's calm, easy vocal style was popular on records and radio and quite similar to son Rick's voice, Eric Hilliard ("Ricky") and Harriet's perky vocals added to the band's popularity.

In 1935, "Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra," as they were being called, had a number one hit with "And Then Some", which was number one for one week on the U.S. pop singles chart. Nelson wrote and composed several songs, including "Wave the Stick Blues", "Subway", "Jersey Jive", "Swingin' on the Golden Gate", and "Central Avenue Shuffle".

In October 1935, he married the band's vocalist Harriet Hilliard. The couple had two children: the older, David (1936–2011), became an actor and director, and the younger, Eric Hilliard ("Ricky") (1940–1985), became an actor and singer.

Films

Ozzie Nelson appeared with his band in feature films and short subjects of the 1940s, and often played speaking parts, displaying a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, as in the 1942 musical Strictly in the Groove. He shrewdly promoted the band by agreeing to appear in "soundies," three-minute musical movies shown in "film jukeboxes" of the 1940s. In 1952, when he and his family were established as radio and TV favorites, they starred in a feature film, Here Come the Nelsons, which actually doubled as a "pilot" for the TV series.

Radio and television
In the 1940s, Nelson began to look for a way to spend more time with his family, especially his growing sons. Besides band appearances, he and Harriet had been regulars on The Raleigh Cigarette Program, Red Skelton's radio show. Nelson developed and produced his own radio series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. The show originally aired in 1944, with their sons played by actors until 1949. In 1952 it moved to television, where David and Ricky appeared on camera. The radio version continued for another two years, and the last television episode aired in 1966.

The TV show starred the entire family, as America watched Ozzie and Harriet raise their boys. Nelson was producer and director of most of the episodes, and he co-wrote many of them. Nelson's brother, Don Nelson, was also one of the writers.  Ozzie was hands on, involved with every aspect of both radio and TV programs. It is notable that throughout the 1950's, Ozzie's prior bandleading career and Harriet's singing, acting, and dancing careers were seldom mentioned. The younger audience would have had no idea that Ozzie and Harriet had previously been involved in music.

Nelson appeared as a guest panelist on the June 9, 1957, episode of What's My Line?

His last television show, in the fall of 1973, was Ozzie's Girls, which lasted for a year in first-run syndication. The premise involved Ozzie and Harriet renting their sons' former room to two college girls—actresses Brenda Sykes and Susan Sennett—and portrayed the Nelsons' efforts at adjusting to living with two young women after raising two sons.

For his contribution to the television industry, Ozzie Nelson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6555 Hollywood Boulevard. He has an additional star with his wife at 6260 Hollywood Boulevard for their contribution to radio.

Personal life

He married band singer Harriet Hilliard in 1935. They had two sons, David (born in 1936) and Eric (known as Ricky, born in 1940). The couple remained married until Ozzie's death in 1975. His grandchildren include actress Tracy Nelson and musicians Matthew Nelson and Gunnar Nelson. He was also the former father-in-law of Kristin Harmon and June Blair.

Cultural historians have noted that the on-screen laid-back character was very different from the real-life Ozzie Nelson, who has been characterized as an authoritarian figure who monitored every aspect of his children's lives. In 1998, A&E broadcast a documentary entitled Ozzie and Harriet: The Adventures of America's Favorite Family, which depicted Ozzie Nelson as a dictatorial personality who "thwarted his sons, preventing them from attending college and reminding them that they were obliged to work on television". Author David Halberstam has written, "the Nelsons arguably were a dysfunctional family. In real life, Ozzie was a workaholic who stole his sons' childhood (by having them grow up in show business)".

In 1973, Ozzie Nelson published his autobiography, Ozzie, (Prentice Hall, 1973, ).

Death
Nelson suffered from recurring malignant tumors in his later years, and eventually succumbed to liver cancer. He died at his home in the San Fernando Valley on June 3, 1975, with his wife and sons at his bedside.

Services were held at the Church of the Hills at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills, California on Friday, June 6. He is interred with his wife and son Ricky in the Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

When his elder son David died in 2011, he was cremated, having chosen a niche in Westwood Memorial Park's outdoor Garden of Serenity columbarium rather than interment in the Nelson family plot.

Selected filmography

References

External links

 Ozzie Nelson recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.

Museum of Broadcast Communications: Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (archived)
 
The Ozzie and Harriet Nelson Papers, at the University of Wyoming - American Heritage Center

1906 births
1975 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male radio actors
American male television actors
American people of English descent
American people of Swedish descent
American television directors
Big band bandleaders
Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Deaths from cancer in California
Deaths from liver cancer
Male actors from Jersey City, New Jersey
People from Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Ridgefield Park High School alumni
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football players
Rutgers School of Law–Newark alumni
Rutgers University alumni
Swing saxophonists
20th-century American businesspeople
Film directors from New Jersey
20th-century saxophonists
Television producers from New Jersey
Anthony Nelson (born October 6, 1975) is an American gospel singer, songwriter, composer, record producer and lead for his band, Anthony Nelson & The Overcomers. He is best known for his Billboard No. 1 gospel hit, "Deeper".

History 
Anthony Nelson was born an only child to the late Joe and Joyce Nelson on October 6, 1975. His exposure to gospel music came at a young age through his mother and grandmother who were both gospel vocalists. Nelson earned a Bachelor of Science from Southern University and A&M College and then a Masters of Science from Louisiana State University and find work as an environmental engineer.

After his parents passing he found himself drifting from the church he attended regularly. During his grief, he focused on his relationship with God and started using music to foster this relationship eventually finding himself back in church with a newfound relationship to God. Nelson went on to become a Minister of Music and utilize music to heal and lead worship.

Nelson wanted to share his music and the Lord's message with the world and formed the band "The Overcomers". Nelson and the Overcomers gained fame through listings on Billboard Top Ten Hits and a number one hit on Amazon's top 100 Christian Bestsellers.

Forming The Overcomers 
Nelson knew his love for music was the best way to share the Lord's message and in order to avoid the chaos that typically comes with the formation of a band, he recruited family members. Together they created music that combined various styles of folk, R&B, soul, and pop, but kept with the true importance of having lyrics that are biblically and doctrinally sound.

First album 
The band released a radio single “Dedicate” prior to the release of the debut album. The album, entitled Love Jesus, Love People featured twelve tracks with a contemporary adult R&B sound.

Discography 
 2016 Love Jesus, Love People
 2018 Worship: In Spirit and in Truth EP
 2018 Inhabit EP

Billboard success 
The band recorded two singles after Love Jesus, Love People was released. "Deeper" and "Undeserved" were both Billboard Top Ten hits, with "Deeper" coming in at the number one spot for the Gospel category. Both songs are part of the Worship: In Spirit and in Truth EP.

References 

Living people
1975 births
American gospel singers
Songwriters from Louisiana
21st-century American composers
Record producers from Louisiana
African-American male songwriters
21st-century African-American male singers Willie Thomas (born February 13, 1931) is an American jazz trumpeter, author and educator.

Biography

Willie Thomas was raised in Orlando, Florida and started playing the trumpet around the age of 10.

In the 1950s, Willie was a member of the Third Army Band, where he met and played with pianist Wynton Kelly, which became his first real break into the New York jazz scene.

In his 45 years as a jazz trumpeter, Thomas has performed or recorded with many jazz greats including the MJT+3 with Frank Strozier and Bob Cranshaw, the Slide Hampton Octet with Freddie Hubbard and George Coleman, the Woody Herman Orchestra, the Al Belletto Sextet, and singer Peggy Lee.

Thomas created the series of jazz educational books Jazz Anyone...?. He has also an active member of the International Association for Jazz Education and was inducted into the International Association of Jazz Educators' Jazz Education Hall of Fame in 1994.

Personal life
Willie married American jazz singer Jerri Winters.

Selected discography

As leader

 Discover Jazz - Live! At The 1982 NAJE Convention (1982, Mark) - with Bunky Green, and featuring Nick Brignola, Frank Pazzullo, Larry Green (bassist), Arch Martin, and Warrick Carter
 In Love Again (1987, Mark) - with Bunky Green

As sideman 

With Woody Herman and Tito Puente
 Herman's Heat & Puente's Beat (1958, Everest)

With Slide Hampton
 Sister Salvation / Somethin' Sanctified / Live at Birdland (1960, 1961, Atlantic Records/Fresh Sound)
 Two Sides of Slide (1961, Charlie Parker Records) (as William Thomas)
 Jazz with a Twist (1962, Atlantic Records)With MJT+3 MJT+3 (Vee-Jay Records) with Frank Strozier, Harold Mabern, Bob Cranshaw, and Walter Perkins 
 Make Everybody Happy (1961, Vee-Jay Records)With Peggy Lee Basin Street East Proudly Presents Miss Peggy Lee (1961, Capitol Records)With Bill Henderson His complete Vee-Jay Recordings Vol. 1 (1993, Vee-Jay Records/Koch Jazz)With Bill Barron' West Side Story Bossa Nova (1963, Dauntless)

Books

The Jazz Anyone.....? series, published by Alfred Music:Jazz Anyone.....?, Bk 1: Play and Learn (B Flat Tenor Sax Edition) Jazz Anyone.....?, Bk 1: Play and Learn (E-Flat Instruments) (Book & 2 CDs) Jazz Anyone.....?, Bk 1: Play and Learn (Teacher Edition) (Book & 3 CDs) Jazz Anyone.....?, Vol 1: Play and Learn Jazz Combo Collection (Easy)Jazz Anyone.....?, Bk 2: Play and Learn Blues and More (Bass Edition) (Book & 2 CDs)Jazz Anyone.....?, Bk 2: Play and Learn Blues and More (Teacher Edition) (Book & 2 CDs)Jazz Anyone.....?, Bk 3: Making Music -- A Simple Language System for Jazz (Teacher Edition) (Book & 2 CDs)Jazz Anyone.....?, Bk 3: Making Music -- A Simple Language System for Jazz (E-Flat Instruments) (Book & 2 CDs)Jazz Anyone.....? Rhythm ManualFuntime Blues Pack (Student's Book) (A Jazz Curriculum for K-6)''

References

American jazz trumpeters
American male trumpeters
Hard bop trumpeters
1931 births
Bebop trumpeters
20th-century American musicians
20th-century trumpeters
21st-century trumpeters
Living people
21st-century American musicians
Jazz musicians from Florida
Musicians from Orlando, Florida
20th-century American male musicians
21st-century American male musicians
American male jazz musicians