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Dick Jacobs
Dick Jacobs
Dick Jacobs
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Key Information

Dick Jacobs (29 March 1918 – 20 May 1988) was an American musician, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, music director and an artists-and-repertoire director for several record labels (Coral, Decca, Brunswick and Springboard).[1] He helped Jackie Wilson, Buddy Holly, Bobby Darin and others early in their careers in the late 1950s and early 1960s.[1]

Life and career

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Jacobs was born in New York City, United States, and graduated from New York University.[1] During World War II, he served in the United States Army, then returned to the city and spent several years arranging for Tommy Dorsey. After that, he partnered with Sy Oliver to pursue freelance arranging work.

When he was hired to be the musical director for the television series, Your Hit Parade, for its 1957–58 season,[1] he replaced most of the existing studio orchestra members with his own choices including Dick Hyman, Don Lamond, Al Caiola and Jerome Richardson. At that point, the Hit Parade orchestra became one of the first on-screen orchestras to become integrated. In 1953, he produced a number of acts, including the McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer, and by 1958 had a hit single, the theme tune from the movie Kathy-O. In 1956, his recording of "Man with the Golden Arm" sold over one million copies as a single and was awarded a gold disc.[2]

According to The Ultimate Book of Songs and Artists, by Joel Whitburn, Jacobs's biggest hits were "Main Title" and "Molly-O" (1956), "Petticoats of Portugal" (1956), and "Fascination" (1957).

Jacobs brought a lush instrumental orchestral sound to a number of rock and roll songs in the late 1950s, notably those for Buddy Holly and Cirino Colacrai and his vocal quartet, the Bowties. Eventually retiring in the late 1970s, he and Harriet Jacobs wrote Who Wrote That Song?, a reference book on popular songs and songwriters.

He died in 1988 in New York City, at the age of 70.[1]

Selected discography

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Singles

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  • Coral 61606 – "Molly-O" / "Butternut" (1956)
  • Coral 61692 – "Seven Wonders of the World" / "Theme from "East of Eden"" (1956)
  • Coral 61724 – "Petticoats of Portugal" / "Song of the Vagabonds-Only A Rose" (1956)
  • Coral 61794 – "Big Beat" / "Tower's Trot and Then You Do That Step" (1957)
  • Coral 61864 – "Fascination" / "Summertime in Venice" (1957)
  • Coral 61907 – "Place Pigalle" / "Lovely Ladies of Milano" (1957)
  • Coral 61951 – "Mambo No. 5" / "Marchin' Drummer Blues" (1958)
  • Coral 62086 – "A Touch of Pink" / "Happy People of Monterrey" (1959)

Albums

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  • Main Title (with George Cates Orchestra & Chorus) – Coral CRL-57065
  • The Man With the Golden Baton – Coral CRL-57127
  • Themes from Horror Movies – Coral CRL-57240
  • Written In the Stars (The Zodiac Suite) – Coral CRL-57339
  • Fascination – Vocalion VL-3672

Sidework

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Jacobs did arrangements for jazz and popular singers and musicians, ranging from Cab Calloway, Teresa Brewer and Xavier Cugat to Buddy Holly and Jackie Wilson.

References

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Bibliography

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Dick Jacobs

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Dick Jacobs was an American arranger, conductor, record producer, and artists-and-repertoire director known for his influential work at Coral, Brunswick, and Decca Records, where he helped bridge traditional pop music and the emerging rock and roll era through collaborations with artists such as Buddy Holly, Jackie Wilson, and Bobby Darin. Born on March 29, 1918, in New York City, Jacobs studied at New York University before serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. After the war, he worked as an arranger for Tommy Dorsey and entered a freelance partnership with Sy Oliver. He gained early prominence as musical director for the television series Your Hit Parade, where he reorganized the studio orchestra into one of the first integrated ensembles on TV, incorporating musicians such as Dick Hyman and Al Caiola. Joining Coral Records in 1953, he advanced to roles at Decca and Brunswick as producer, arranger, conductor, and A&R executive, overseeing recordings and arrangements for numerous vocalists and contributing to crossover successes that expanded the sound of popular music. Among his most notable contributions were orchestral arrangements for Buddy Holly, including on "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," which incorporated strings and broader instrumentation to enhance rock recordings, as well as production work on Jackie Wilson's "Lonely Teardrops," which achieved significant crossover appeal. Jacobs also arranged for artists such as The McGuire Sisters, Teresa Brewer, and Xavier Cugat, blending contemporary styles like bossa nova and rock into Latin and pop big-band formats. In addition to his behind-the-scenes work, he released instrumental albums under his own name, including early electronic-influenced recordings such as The Electro-Sonic Orchestra and thematic collections like Themes From Horror Movies. After leaving Decca following its merger into MCA, he produced for Springboard Records before retiring in the late 1970s and co-authoring the music reference book Who Wrote That Song?. He died on May 20, 1988, in New York City.

Early Life and Education

Birth and Family Background

Dick Jacobs was born on March 29, 1918, in New York City. Limited details are available about his family's specific background or parental occupations, but he spent his early childhood in New York, in the city's vibrant cultural environment of the early 20th century.

Musical Training and Early Influences

Dick Jacobs graduated from New York University prior to beginning his professional involvement in music. Specific details concerning his formal musical education, early instruction on instruments such as the saxophone, or formative influences from composers, mentors, or local music scenes remain undocumented in available biographical sources.

Career in the Record Industry

Early Work in Big Bands and Arrangements

Dick Jacobs embarked on his professional music career after serving in the United States Army during World War II and returning to New York City. He spent several years working as an arranger for the Tommy Dorsey orchestra, contributing to the band's arrangements during the post-war period when the big band sound was still prominent but beginning to decline. During his tenure with Tommy Dorsey, Jacobs developed a professional relationship with fellow arranger Sy Oliver, who had previously worked with Jimmie Lunceford and other prominent ensembles. The two later formed a partnership to pursue freelance arranging opportunities, marking Jacobs' transition to independent work in the music industry. Specific details of individual arrangements or recordings from this era are limited in available documentation, reflecting the often uncredited nature of staff arranging roles in big bands of the time. This early experience in the big band milieu provided foundational expertise in orchestration and ensemble writing that shaped his subsequent career.

Staff Arranger and Producer at Decca/Coral Records

Dick Jacobs joined Coral Records, a subsidiary of Decca Records, in 1953 as a recording manager, marking the start of his long-term staff role within the Decca family of labels. He later expanded his responsibilities to encompass Decca itself and its subsidiary Brunswick, serving as a producer, arranger, musical director, and A&R director across these imprints. In his capacity as a staff arranger and producer, Jacobs handled orchestral arrangements for recordings, conducted sessions with studio musicians, and oversaw production elements to shape the label's output during the 1950s and into the 1960s. By the early 1960s, he had solidified his position as one of Decca's house arranger/conductors, contributing to a wide range of the label's projects in these supportive, behind-the-scenes functions. His earlier experience as an arranger for the Tommy Dorsey big band after World War II provided a foundation for these staff positions at Decca and Coral. No specific awards, promotions, or internal recognitions from this period are documented in available sources.

Notable Artist Collaborations and Productions

Dick Jacobs is particularly renowned for his orchestral arrangements and conducting on Buddy Holly's final New York recording session (and overall last studio session) on October 21, 1958, at Pythian Temple in New York, which produced some of the artist's most enduring posthumous hits. Jacobs conducted an 18-piece orchestra—drawn from former NBC Symphony Orchestra members—for Holly's tracks, marking a shift toward lush, string-heavy productions. He provided the arrangements for "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" and "Raining in My Heart," both released as a single on Coral Records in January 1959, with the former as the A-side and the latter as the B-side. "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," penned by Paul Anka, achieved significant success, peaking at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the first posthumous number 1 in the UK in April 1959, where it held the top spot for three weeks. For "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," the song was presented to Jacobs on the day of the session with limited preparation time; he crafted a pleasing pizzicato string arrangement that complemented Holly's vocal delivery (completed on the first take) and later described the pizzicato string section as “the most unplanned thing I have ever written.” "Raining in My Heart" also featured orchestral strings arranged by Jacobs to support Holly's performance. The session additionally produced "True Love Ways" and "Moondreams," both of which featured evocative string orchestrations. Beyond his work with Holly, Jacobs directed orchestras for Teresa Brewer on Coral Records releases during the 1950s, contributing to albums and singles that showcased his skills in pop accompaniment. He additionally arranged and produced for Bobby Darin on "Early in the Morning," demonstrating his versatility in the era's pop and rock recordings. Dick Jacobs remained based in New York City throughout his career, with no documented relocation to Los Angeles or Hollywood. His primary work remained in the record industry as an arranger, conductor, producer, and A&R executive, with limited expansions into television and film.

Television Career

Dick Jacobs served as musical director for the New York-produced television series Your Hit Parade during the 1957–1958 season, where he reorganized the studio orchestra by replacing most of the existing members with musicians of his own choosing, including Dick Hyman, Don Lamond, Al Caiola, and Jerome Richardson. He assembled one of the first racially integrated orchestras on television and insisted that producers avoid obscuring the Black musicians from camera view, ensuring their visibility on screen. His work on the series, credited for two episodes, focused on conducting and arranging performances of popular songs rather than original composition or theme creation. This marked his primary documented involvement in television music.

Film Music Contributions

Dick Jacobs' contributions to feature film music were primarily through the reuse of his pre-recorded orchestral arrangements rather than original composition or direct scoring work. His 1959 album Themes From Horror Movies, released on Coral Records, featured instrumental renditions of themes from 1950s horror and science fiction films, with tracks such as "Main Title From 'The Horror Of Dracula'", "Theme From 'Tarantula'", "Winged Death From 'The Deadly Mantis'", and "Shooting Stars From 'This Island Earth'". The album presented these as orchestral interpretations rather than original soundtrack recordings. Selections from this album were incorporated into the 1993 comedy-horror film Matinee, directed by Joe Dante, leading to credits for Jacobs in the music department. He is listed as conductor and arranger of non-original music, as well as arranger and performer of specific cues including "Monster Attack", "Main Title", "Stalking the Creature", "Winged Death", "Visitors", and "Shooting Stars". These cues directly drew from his 1959 album arrangements. No records indicate that Jacobs composed original scores or held music supervisor roles for any feature films.

Personal Life

Family and Personal Interests

Dick Jacobs was born in New York City and resided there for most of his life. Details about his family life, including any marriages, children, or personal hobbies and interests outside his musical career, are not documented in available reliable sources.

Death and Legacy

Death

Dick Jacobs died on May 20, 1988, in New York City at the age of 70. No further details regarding the cause of death or memorial services are documented in available sources.

Posthumous Influence and Recognition

Dick Jacobs is primarily remembered for his role in bridging traditional pop music and the emerging rock and roll sound through his work as an A&R executive, producer, and arranger at Coral and Brunswick Records during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He is regarded as one of the first significant figures in the mainstream music industry to take rock seriously, supporting crossover successes for artists including Jackie Wilson, Buddy Holly, and Bobby Darin. His most enduring contributions are tied to Buddy Holly's final recording session in New York on October 21, 1958, where he arranged and conducted the orchestra for tracks such as "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," "True Love Ways," "Raining in My Heart," and "Moondreams." The pizzicato string arrangement on "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," created under severe time pressure with no opportunity for detailed harmonization or complex parts, has been praised in retrospective accounts as a pleasing and effective complement to Holly's vocal. Jacobs himself described the arrangement as "the most unplanned thing I have ever written in my life." These recordings continue to feature prominently in compilations and reissues of Holly's work, preserving Jacobs' orchestral innovations as integral elements of the songs' lasting appeal. His orchestral approaches in rock contexts have been noted as potentially influential on later producers such as Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, and Phil Spector. Reissues of other material he arranged, including Xavier Cugat's mid-1960s Decca albums collected on the CD Cugie-a-Go-Go, have also kept aspects of his arranging style accessible. No major posthumous awards, documentaries, or formal tributes are documented in available sources.
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