Will Hudson (songwriter)

Will Hudson (né Arthur Murray Hainer; 8 March 1908 Grimsby, Ontario – 16 July 1981 Isle of Palms, South Carolina) was a Canadian-born American composer, arranger, and big band leader who flourished from the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s. He co-wrote his two biggest hits "Moonglow" and "Organ Grinder's Swing" in 1934 and 1936, respectively. Hudson's scores were recorded by McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1931), Erskine Tate (1931), Cab Calloway (1932), Fletcher Henderson (1933, 1934), Jimmy Lunceford (1933, 1934), Ina Ray Hutton (1934, 1936), the Mills Blue Rhythm Band (1935), Earl Hines, Don Redman, and Ray Noble.

Pre-World War II Career

Arthur Murray Hainer grew-up in Detroit and graduated June 1926 from the city's Southeastern High School. Hainer put together his first big band in Detroit in the early 1930s. As a possible impetus for adopting stage surname, "Hudson," in the early 1930s, he, in 1928, had been a clerk for the Hudson's department store in Detroit on Woodward Avenue. That year (1928), he was listed as living with his parents in Windsor, Ontario — across the border from Detroit.

Immigration documents

According to a Manifest by the U.S. Department of Labor, Hainer had moved from Canada to the United States November 14, 1909, and remained in the U.S. until July 14, 1928, before moving back to Canada, to reside at 152 Dougal, Windsor, Canada. He lived at 1805 West Grand (Detroit or Windsor?). The Manifest indicates that he moved out of Detroit November 7, 1929.

At some point in during the early 1930s, Hudson became a staff arranger for Irving Mills, writing stock arrangements. Mills — notable in various roles in the development of swing and jazz — was as much a promoter of songwriters, arrangers, and big bands as he was a publisher. Mills was known to have included his name as co-author of works that he did not write, but published. This was a common method of including music promoters in royalties.

Between 1936 and 1938

Hudson was a dance-band arranger, and co-leader with Eddie DeLange of the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra. By 1937, Hudson had composed 50 hits, including:

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Singers with the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra

• Ruth Gaylor sang and recorded with the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra in 1936 and
• Mitchell Ayres (né Meyer Agress; 1910–1969) in 1937, others included
• Georgia Gibbs (formerly Fredda Gibson; née Frieda Lipschitz; 1919–2006)
• Nan Wynn

Singers with the Will Hudson Orchestra

Hudson led his own band from 1939 to about 1941. Singers included:

• Kay Kenny
• Elisse Cooper (née Mabel Elisse Cooper; 1914–19620), who, in 1944 married saxophonist Joseph Gabriel "Gabe" Gelinas (1910–1049)
• Jayne Dover (née Jane Rappaport), while signing with Van Alexander Orchestra, the she married Martin Melcher, who had been doing publicity for the band; Melcher later married two other singers, Patty Andrews and Doris Day
• Ruth Gaylor

• When the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra was at the height of its popularity, around 1940, Hudson had to withdraw for health reasons.
• Hudson joined ASCAP in 1934.
• In 1941, Hudson began focusing on arranging, full-time.

• Hudson enlisted in the U.S. Army March 6, 1943 (SSN 090 03 4600), and served in the U.S. Army Air Force. He became the arranger for the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band. Hudson was discharged September 23, 1945.

Juilliard

• In 1948, Hudson enrolled at Juilliard, studying orchestration and composition with Wallingford Riegger, Henry Brant, and Vincent Persichetti — and earned a diploma in 1952 and post-grad diploma in 1953. He also studied composition privately.
• His popular-music compositions include "Moonglow" (words Eddie DeLange; ©1934), "Tormented" (©1936), "Sophisticated Swing" (©1936), "Mr. Ghost Goes to Town" (©1937), "Devil's Kitchen" (©1935), "You're Not the Kind" (co-composed with Irving Mills; ©1936); and "Witch Doctor" (©1935).

Popular songs

Biographical sources for Will Hudson (né Arthur Murray Hainer; 8 March 1908 Grimsby, Ontario – 16 July 1981 Isle of Palms, South Carolina) often incorrectly state that he was born in Barstow, California. He changed his name sometime between 1931 and 1933 — after his marriage to Eleanor Radtke (born 1912) in Detroit on August 15, 1931, and before his compositions were copyrighted under his new name. (see citation for Naturalization Petition)

Hudson DeLange Orchestra

Eddie DeLange, co-led with Hudson the Hudson DeLange Orchestra and wrote the lyrics to several songs composed by Hudson

Will Hudson Orchestra

Partial sources

The Big Bands, by George T. Simon, Schirmer Trade Books (1981; 2012)

The Big Band Almanac, by Leo Walker

Original copyrights

Renewals

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Abbreviations

Birth and growing up

Hudson was born in Grimsby, Ontario, March 8, 1909. Print-media biographies universally state that he was born in Barstow, California. However, Hudson's U.S. Naturalization application indicates otherwise. Grimsby, then of Lincoln County, the county of which, in 1970, became amalgamated into a county-like governmental body known as the Regional Municipality of Niagara. Hudson, with his parents, immigrated to the United States November 13, 1909 — at the age of 1 year, 8 months. He grew-up in Detroit and graduated from Southeastern High School June 1926. Hudson became a United States citizen on April 14, 1941.