Peter Duchin

Peter Oelrichs Duchin (born July 28, 1937) is an American pianist and band leader.

Duchin was born in New York City, the son of pianist and band leader Eddy Duchin. His mother was Marjorie Oelrichs, a Newport, Rhode Island and New York City socialite who died unexpectedly when he was just five days old. She had been removed from the New York Social Register for marrying Duchin's father because Eddy Duchin was Jewish; her reaction was reportedly "Who cares? It's just a phone book." After the death of both of his parents he was raised by close family friends, statesman W. Averell Harriman and his wife, Marie Norton Harriman.

Duchin was educated at Eaglebrook School (where he studied piano with Carrie Barbour Swift) and The Hotchkiss School prep schools in New England. He spent time in Paris, France and studied at the Sorbonne before returning home and graduating from Yale University.

Duchin formed his first professional band, which played the St. Regis Hotel in New York City, in 1962 thanks in part to his family name and the networking it had made possible. The band's style and genres have been described as "a musical approach that incorporates big bands, swing and Broadway songs (and nowadays, old-fashioned rock 'n' roll)."

Duchin's music was much heard on middle of the road radio in the late 1960s and early 1970s from albums and singles released on the Decca, Bell and Capitol labels. His single "Star Dust" reached No. 143 in the Cashbox survey, 1964.

Also in 1964, Duchin made his acting debut in the film The World of Henry Orient, which also featured Peter Sellers, Angela Lansbury, Tom Bosley, and Phyllis Thaxter, among others.

From 1985 to 1989, Duchin had a professional partnership with Jimmy Maxwell, leader of the traditional society jazz band in New Orleans.

By 2009, Duchin's band had played at an estimated 6,000 performances.