Page Cavanaugh
Encyclopedia
Page Cavanaugh was an American jazz
and pop pianist
, vocalist, and arranger
.
Cavanaugh began on piano at age nine and played with Ernie Williamson
's band in 1938-39 before moving to Los Angeles
and joining the Bobby Sherwood
band at age 20.
While serving in the military during World War II
, Cavanaugh met guitarist Al Viola
and bassist Lloyd Pratt, with whom he formed a trio. After the war's end they performed together in the style of the Nat King Cole Trio, scoring a number of hits in the late 1940s including "The Three Bears
", "Walkin' My Baby Back Home
", and "All of Me
". The trio appeared in the films A Song Is Born
, Big City, Lullaby of Broadway
(with Doris Day
) and Romance on the High Seas
(Doris Day's first film, in 1948). Additionally, they played on Frank Sinatra
's Songs by Sinatra radio program and on The Jack Paar Show. He played in Los Angeles
area nightclubs through the 1990s, both in a trio setting (with Viola for many years) and as a septet, the Page 7. He also recorded with Bobby Woods & Les Deux Love Orchestra. Cavanaugh recorded for MGM
, Capitol
, RCA
, Star Line and Dobre Records over the course of his career, releasing his final Page Cavanaugh Trio CD, Return to Elegance, in 2006. The Page Cavanaugh Trio may also be seen and heard in the 1958 horror movie, "Frankenstein's Daughter", directed by Richard E Cunha and produced for $60,000 by Layton Film Productions.
Cavanaugh died December 19, 2008 of kidney failure.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and pop pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, vocalist, and arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
.
Cavanaugh began on piano at age nine and played with Ernie Williamson
Ernie Williamson
Ernest Warriner Williamson was an American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and New York Giants. Williamson also played in the All-America Football Conference for the Los Angeles Dons...
's band in 1938-39 before moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and joining the Bobby Sherwood
Bobby Sherwood
Bobby Sherwood was a trumpet player, bandleader, actor and composer. He appeared in three films including Pal Joey in 1957. His sons Billy and Michael are both musicians....
band at age 20.
While serving in the military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Cavanaugh met guitarist Al Viola
Al Viola
Alfred Viola was an American jazz guitarist who worked with Frank Sinatra for 25 years and also played the mandolin on the soundtrack of the film The Godfather.-Biography:...
and bassist Lloyd Pratt, with whom he formed a trio. After the war's end they performed together in the style of the Nat King Cole Trio, scoring a number of hits in the late 1940s including "The Three Bears
The Three Bears
"The Story of the Three Bears" is a fairy tale first recorded in narrative form by British author and poet Robert Southey, and first published anonymously in a volume of his writings in 1837...
", "Walkin' My Baby Back Home
Walkin' My Baby Back Home
Walkin' My Baby Back Home may refer to:* "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" , a popular 1931 song recorded by Nat King Cole among others* Walkin' My Baby Back Home, a 2003 album, including the song of the same name, recorded by Johnnie Ray...
", and "All of Me
All of Me
All of Me is a 1984 fantasy comedy film directed by Carl Reiner and starring Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin. This film is based on the novel Me Two by Edwin Davis.-Plot:...
". The trio appeared in the films A Song Is Born
A Song Is Born
A Song Is Born was a 1948 Technicolor musical film remake, starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo, of 1941 movie Ball of Fire with Gary Cooper...
, Big City, Lullaby of Broadway
Lullaby of Broadway (film)
Lullaby of Broadway is a musical romantic comedy film released by Warner Bros. in 1951. It starred Doris Day as Melinda Howard, an entertainer who travels to New York to see her mother, and Gene Nelson as Tom Farnham, a fellow entertainer and Melinda's love interest. Gladys George appears as...
(with Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
) and Romance on the High Seas
Romance on the High Seas
Romance on the High Seas is a 1948 Technicolor musical romantic comedy film starring Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don DeFore, and Doris Day in her film debut....
(Doris Day's first film, in 1948). Additionally, they played on Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
's Songs by Sinatra radio program and on The Jack Paar Show. He played in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area nightclubs through the 1990s, both in a trio setting (with Viola for many years) and as a septet, the Page 7. He also recorded with Bobby Woods & Les Deux Love Orchestra. Cavanaugh recorded for MGM
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
, Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, Star Line and Dobre Records over the course of his career, releasing his final Page Cavanaugh Trio CD, Return to Elegance, in 2006. The Page Cavanaugh Trio may also be seen and heard in the 1958 horror movie, "Frankenstein's Daughter", directed by Richard E Cunha and produced for $60,000 by Layton Film Productions.
Cavanaugh died December 19, 2008 of kidney failure.