George Rhodes (musician)

George Arthur Rhodes (October 10, 1918[lower-alpha 1] – December 25, 1985) was an American arranger, conductor, music director, pianist, and composer. He is most known for being Sammy Davis Jr.'s long-time music director, arranger, and conductor. Rhodes made history as a black music director by being the first to work for a major network (at NBC in 1966 for The Sammy Davis Jr. Show) and to work for a Las Vegas showroom (at the Tropicana Hotel in 1973). After being hired as a temporary pianist for Davis in 1955, Rhodes eventually became his principal arranger and conductor, working on his variety act, The Sammy Davis Jr. Show, three of Davis' television specials, two musicals starring Davis, and three albums.

George Rhodes
Sammy Davis Jr. and Rhodes
Background information
Born(1918-10-10)October 10, 1918
Indiana
DiedDecember 25, 1985(1985-12-25) (aged 67)
Los Angeles, California
GenresJazz, blues, traditional pop
Occupation(s)Musician, arranger, conductor, music director
InstrumentsPiano
Years active1944–1985
LabelsApollo, RCA Victor, Groove, King
Associated actsSammy Davis Jr., Jonah Jones

Biography

Early life

George Arthur Rhodes was born in Indiana[2][6] on October 10, 1918[lower-alpha 1] to Margaret and James Rhodes.[1] However, he moved to Chicago, Illinois and it is often credited as his hometown.[3][4][7][5]

Career

Rhodes began his career in Chicago as a pianist for the blues singer Lil Green in 1944.[4] He continued to play piano for other black artists, such as the jazz musicians Red Allen, J. C. Higginbotham, and Arnett Cobb.[7] While playing in Cobb's band, Rhodes moved to New York, where he was a piano student at the Juilliard School. While in New York City in the 1950s, he started his work as an arranger for a string of record labels: Apollo Records (from 1950 to 1952), RCA Victor (1954 to 1955), and King Records (from 1955 to 1956).[8] Rhodes also continued playing piano with jazz musicians such as Jonah Jones.[9]

In 1955, Sammy Davis Jr., while in New York to star in the musical Mr. Wonderful, hired Rhodes as pianist in the band of his variety act, the Will Mastin Trio, which was then led by Morty Stevens,[6] an arranger, conductor and pianist, himself. As Stevens began gaining independent success as a composer, Rhodes took over more responsibility as bandleader, eventually replacing Stevens as principal arranger and conductor when he left the act to work for CBS.[7] Rhodes would continue working for Davis for 30 years, until his death in 1985.[4] In addition to their strong professional relationship, Rhodes also quickly became a good friend of Davis and they remained close for the rest of his life.[10][5]

In the 1960s, Rhodes served as music director for many of Sammy Davis Jr.'s projects. In 1965, he returned to Broadway with Davis as conductor for the musical Golden Boy, for which Davis was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.[11] Rhodes became the first black music director to work for a major television network when he was conductor-arranger of The Sammy Davis Jr. Show for NBC in 1966. In the same year, he also was music director for "The Swinging World of Sammy Davis Jr.," a television variety special which was nominated for the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special.[4][12]

Rhodes again broke barriers in 1973 by becoming the first black music director of a Las Vegas showroom when he was hired by the Tropicana Hotel. This was precipitated by Sammy Davis Jr. becoming a director of the hotel (the first black director of a Las Vegas casino), at which he would also be performing.[13]

In 1978, Rhodes was set to conduct the orchestra during Davis' return to Broadway in the revival of Stop the World - I Want to Get Off as he had for Golden Boy, but was dismissed during previews in San Diego. It was reported that the producers had agreed to Davis' request for Rhodes to conduct only to placate him, but did not think Rhodes would be up to the job and instead wanted to use Ian Fraser, the arranger and music supervisor of the original 1961 production.[11][14] However, upon finding out, Davis refused to continue in the production until he was reinstated, saying later "I told them I couldn't perform. It's like losing my family."[11] The production team were forced to re-sign Rhodes as conductor/music director for the three week Broadway run.[14]

Personal life

In 1958, Rhodes married Shirley Anne Vest, who became a manager for Sammy Davis Jr..[15][6] They remained married until his death in 1985, and she described him as "a good, kind, gentle man."[5] The couple had five children: George Jr., Shirley, Andrea, Gregory, and Eygie.

He had a strong lifelong friendship with Sammy Davis Jr. who often referred to him as family.[11] In response to his passing, Davis said "He was my brother on and off the stage, and no one can ever replace him in either area of my life."[5]

Death

At the age of 67[lower-alpha 1][3] Rhodes died of a heart attack in his sleep at his Los Angeles home early in the morning of December 25, 1985. Shirley reported that he had not been ill, and that the doctor who pronounced him dead said he "had no pain."[5]

Discography

As leader
  • Real George (Groove, 1956)
  • Porgy and Bess (AAMCO, 1959)[16]
  • Rock, Rock, Rock (AAMCO, 1959)[17]

As sideman

References
  1. Sources conflict. The birth date of 10/10/1918 has been used based on his 1954 immigration card,[1] which is supported by the 1920 US census[2] record listing his age as 1+3/12 years on January 13, 1920, and the US Social Security Death Index.[3] His gravestone at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, LA, CA also gives 1918 as his birth year. Birth year has been listed by online sources as 1919 and his age at death has been reported as 66 by his LA Times[4] and Jet[5] obituaries, which is inconsistent with these dates.
  1. "George Arthur Rhodes, Cartõ de Imigração; 1954." April 28, 1954. Cartões de imigração, Caixa 332, Maço 3, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, registos de migração (parte 5), 1930-1970. Arquivo Nacional, Rio de Janeiro (National Archives, Rio de Janeiro), digitized by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2011 accessed via FamilySearch February 18, 2018.
  2. "George Rhodes in household of James Rhodes, Indianapolis Ward 3", United States Census, 1920; Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; roll 451, page 9B, line 57, enumeration district 71, Family History film 1820451, National Archives film number T625. Retrieved on February 18, 2018.
  3. "George Rhodes, Dec 1985" United States Social Security Death Index U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, accessed via FamilySearch
  4. "George Rhodes, Musical Director for Sammy Davis Jr., Dies at 66". Los Angeles Times. 1985-12-26. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-02-17.
  5. "Musician George Rhodes, 66, Sammy Davis Jr.'s Arranger, Suffers Fatal Heart Attack". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. Jan 13, 1986. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  6. Haygood, Wil (2014). In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Junior. New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. p. 396. ISBN 978-0804172523.
  7. Fishgall, Gary (2010). Gonna Do Great Things: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr. New York City: Simon and Schuster. p. 136. ISBN 978-1439131572.
  8. "Rhodes, George A. Papers, 1947-1997". Amistad Research Center. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 2003. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  9. "Jonah Jones - Jumpin' with Jonah + Jonah Jumps Again (2 LPs on 1 CD) - Blue Sounds". Blue Sounds.
  10. Gary, Fishgall (2010). Gonna Do Great Things : The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 156. ISBN 978-1439131572. OCLC 893157837.
  11. "Conductor Fired, Sammy Stops Show and Gets Off During San Diego Debut". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. June 15, 1978. p. 58. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  12. "The Swinging World of Sammy Davis, Jr". Television Academy. Retrieved 2018-02-17.
  13. "George Rhodes Is Musical Director at Casino in Vegas". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. October 25, 1973.
  14. "Playbill of Stop the World - I Want to Get Off". Playbill. Retrieved 2018-02-17.
  15. "Shirley Anne Vest and George Rhodes, 01 Jun 1958" Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005 database, Nevada, United States, County Book, p. D09, Nevada State Health Division, Carson City, and Clark County Marriage Bureau, Las Vegas. Accessed via FamilySearch
  16. Franklin V, Benjamin (30 May 2016). An Encyclopedia of South Carolina Jazz and Blues Musicians. University of South Carolina Press. pp. 390–. ISBN 978-1-61117-622-3. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  17. Edwards, David; Callahan, Mike; Eyries, Patrice; Watts, Randy; Neely, Tim (23 September 2012). "Aamco/Scientia Album Discography". www.bsnpubs.com. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
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