Matty Matlock(1907-1978)
- Music Department
- Actor
- Soundtrack
American jazz/big band clarinettist and arranger. He played clarinet
from the age of twelve, mostly in or around his home town of Nashville.
Gigged with several local and territory bands before spells with the
orchestras of Jimmy Joy and Beasley Smith.
He eventually replaced
Benny Goodman in
Ben Pollack's outfit, remaining with
the band from 1929 until 1934. Afterwards, he became more active
arranging and writing music. Until late 1942, he performed with groups
led by Bob Crosby and
Eddie Miller. Based on the West
Coast from 1943, Matlock became a successful Hollywood studio musician,
best known for his work as orchestrator of
Pete Kelly's Blues (1955).
Both the film and TV series featured Matlock's arrangements. In the
1950's and 60's, he occasionally fronted his own groups (notably the 'Paducah Patrol). He also worked with other prominent musicians, including Paul Weston
and Billy May, as well as regularly
performing at Bob Crosby reunions. He was forced to retire in 1975 due
to illness and died three years later in Los Angeles.
