Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) and Carl Severinsen (1898–1972).[1] He was nicknamed Doc after his father, the only dentist in Arlington, who was born in Germany to a Danish father and a Swiss mother. Severinsen's father played violin and wanted him to play it as well, but Severinsen wanted to play trombone.[2] Because his arms were not long enough for trombone,[3] and the small Arlington music store had none available, he settled for the cornet. A neighbor provided him with some lessons, while his father, tobacco in mouth, instructed him to spit out the notes like spitting tobacco. His mother threatened to spank him if he didn't practice.[4] Growing up, Severinsen idolized the trumpeter and band leader Harry James.
Severinsen proved to have a knack for the instrument, and was in a high school band when he was seven. At 9, he won a state trumpet contest, at 13, he joined a multi-state all-star band and, at 14, he auditioned for Tommy Dorsey but was not hired. He started a quartet called the Blue Notes that performed at local dances.[4]
Before graduating from high school, he was hired to go on the road with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra.[4] After graduation, he went on tour with Charlie Barnet, Tommy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman.[2] He served in the Army during World War II.[3] Severinsen was a member of Sam Donahue's band between 1946 and 1951. In 1946, he played trumpet on radio station KODL.[5]
Under Severinsen's direction, The Tonight Show Band, styled the NBC Orchestra, became perhaps the best known big band in America.[6] Severinsen became one of the most popular bandleaders, appearing almost every night on television. He led the band during commercials and while guests were introduced. He joked with Johnny Carson, the show's host, and developed an amusing habit of wearing gaudy clothing.[2]
The show introduced a comic "Stump the Band" segment in which audience members called out the titles of obscure songs to see if the band could play them. 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.
Severinsen substituted for Ed McMahon on occasions when Ed was absent as Carson's announcer and sidekick. He typically assumed this role when the show featured a guest host, which became increasingly frequent during the program's later years. Tommy Newsom was usually the band's substitute director when Severinsen was away from the show or filling in for McMahon. The sidekick role was omitted from the show when Leno guest hosted (it was discontinued altogether after Leno replaced Carson permanently). While Leno guest hosted for Carson, Severinsen typically introduced Leno and led the band while interacting with Leno in a similar manner to his interactions with Carson and McMahon.
Doc continued as bandleader until Carson's retirement in May 1992. Doc, along with Tommy Newsom and Ed Shaughnessy, appeared on the January 31, 2005 episode of Late Show with David Letterman performing "Here's That Rainy Day" in honor of Johnny Carson, who died on January 23 of that same year. He appeared on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show in February 2015 when the show traveled to Los Angeles for a week. He played for the evening with The Roots. The appearance helped to promote his nationwide tour.
He performed the "Star-Spangled Banner" on at least three nationally telecast occasions; however, the first two renditions were marred by problems. When he accompanied actor Pat O'Brien, as O'Brien recited the National Anthem at Super Bowl IV, the public address system at Tulane Stadium went dead for a minute, although viewers were unaware of it. Fifteen years later, when he performed the anthem again prior to the Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns fight, a giant US flag on the side of the Fantasy Tower at Caesar's Palace overlooking the outdoor ring was not unfurled properly due to problems with the roping. He performed the anthem again, as well as "O Canada", at the 1989 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Anaheim, California. With the game being played in the Los Angeles television and radio market, he was accompanied by the Tonight Show band. As of 2020, Severinsen and the NBC Orchestra's performance remains the most recent non-vocal rendition of the national anthem at the Midsummer Classic.
Severinsen is credited for co-writing the hit song "Stop and Smell the Roses" with Mac Davis, although both parties agree that Severinsen only came up with the title.[10]
He retired from conducting in 2007 and was named Pops Conductor Emeritus in Milwaukee[12] and Pops Conductor Laureate in Minnesota.[13] Severinsen was also named distinguished visiting professor of music and Katherine K. Herberger Heritage Chair for Visiting Artists at Arizona State University School of Music in 2001 and 2002.[14]
Severinsen performed his final concert, accompanied by his San Miguel 5 group, on September 1, 2022, in Saratoga Springs, New York.[16]
Personal life
Severinsen with daughter Nancy, in 1974. Nancy was part of a vocal group called Today's Children, which often performed with him.
Severinsen married Jane Simpson Frazer on June 23, 1949. They had four children before divorcing. He next married Evonne Nyman on August 7, 1964. They had one child and were divorced in 1976.
In 1980, he married Emily Marshall (d. 2023), who was a television writer and producer, and is an on-camera subject in a 2020 PBS documentary produced by American Masters titled Never Too Late: The Doc Severinsen Story that premiered April 2, 2021.[17][18] They met when she was working as a secretary for The Tonight Show producer Fred de Cordova.[19] They divorced in 2006.
Severinsen's children are Nancy, Cindy, Allen, Robin, and Judy. He has eight grandchildren, including Blaire and Gray Reinhard, who write and perform roots rock music together in various incarnations as Curtis & Reinhard and the Blaire Reinhard Band.[20] Severinsen has been quoted as saying that he has been married four times.[21]
As of 2021[update] Severinsen's partner was Cathy Leach, a professor emerita of trumpet at the University of Tennessee.[17]
Discography
A String of Trumpets (Everest, 1960) with Billy Mure
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