Horace Heidt

Horace Heidt would have been the last man to make grand claims about his musical abilities. What he did have as a bandleader was an ear for talent and the knack for recruiting it, which led to his becoming one of the most successful bandleaders of the late '30s and early '40s. From 1937 until 1945, Heidt and his orchestra enjoyed more than 50 hit records, and were virtually permanent fixtures on the radio. Additionally, his band was a virtual farm team for future major players in popular music, and even a few future jazz players of note passed through the lineup of Heidt's orc...