Time For Listening - Richard Hayman

The Touch

Time For Listening
Richard Hayman And His Orchestra

Custom High Fidelity
Mercury Records MG 20103

1956

From the back cover: Born in Cambridge and reared in Winthrop, Massachusetts, Hayman as a boy taught himself the harmonica and the accordion. In 1938, fresh out of high school, he joined the famed Harmonica Rascals led by Borrah Minnevitch. His sense of prankishness and admirable comedy landed him in bit parts in several Betty Grable movies. Then Georgie Stall, a musical director at MGM took a strong liking to Richard and he taught him the highly specialized art of arranging background music for films. Among his major credits are "Meet Me In St. Louis" and "State Fair."

Vaughn Monroe lured Hayman away from Hollywood for four years until Hayman stepped out as a free-lance arranger-composer and he linked up as musical director with a singing discovery at Mercury Records, Bobby Wayne. Once his orchestral talents became conspicuous at Mercury, the company signed him as an artist in his own right, to conduct and play harmonica in his own enviable style.

Arthur Fiedler and the Boston "Pops" Orchestra have recorded composition of Richard Hayman, a source of great pride to the young musician.

From Billboard - September 22, 1956: Harmonic virtuoso and ork in a surprising variety of rhythms, with unique arrangements. Hayman has woven some standards and some tunes not so standard into a pattern for extremely pleasant listening. Plenty of stuff here worth deejay attention and platter should attract.

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