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Nelson Riddle
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==Capitol years== In 1950, Riddle was hired by composer [[Les Baxter]] to write arrangements for a recording session with [[Nat King Cole]]; this was one of Riddle's first associations with [[Capitol Records]]. Although one of the songs Riddle had arranged, "[[Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole song)|Mona Lisa]]," soon became the biggest selling single of Cole's career, the work was credited to Baxter.{{sfn|Levinson|2005|p=81}} However, once Cole learned the identity of the arrangement's creator, he sought out Riddle's work for other sessions, and thus began a fruitful partnership that furthered the careers of both men at Capitol. During the same year, Riddle also formed a friendship with [[Vern Yocum]] (born George Vernon Yocum), a big band jazz musician (and brother of [[The Pied Pipers|Pied Piper]] Clark Yocum) who would transition into music preparation for [[Frank Sinatra]] and other entertainers at Capitol Records. A collaboration followed, with Vern becoming Riddle's "right hand" as copyist and librarian for the next thirty years. In 1953, Capitol Records executives viewed the up-and-coming Riddle as a prime choice to arrange for Frank Sinatra. Sinatra was reluctant however, preferring instead to remain with [[Axel Stordahl]], his long-time collaborator from his [[Columbia Records]] years. When success of the first few Capitol sides with Stordahl proved disappointing, Sinatra eventually relented and Riddle was called in to arrange his first session for Sinatra, held on April 30, 1953. Riddle drew on Sinatra's rhythm section, led by drummer/percussionist [[Irving Cottler]] (who was the featured drummer on [[Nat King Cole]]'s "[[Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole song)|Mona Lisa]]"). The first product of the Riddle–Sinatra partnership, "[[I've Got the World on a String]]," became a runaway hit and is often credited with relaunching the singer's slumping career. Riddle's personal favorite was a Sinatra [[ballad]] album, one of his most successful recordings, ''[[Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely|Only the Lonely]]''. For the next decade, Riddle continued to arrange for Sinatra and Cole,<ref name=pc22>{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19775/m1/ |title=Show 22 - Smack Dab in the Middle on Route 66: A skinny dip in the easy listening mainstream. [Part 1] |show=22 |track=3}}</ref> in addition to such Capitol artists as Kate Smith, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, Keely Smith, Sue Raney and Ed Townsend. He also found time to record his own instrumental discs, released on Capitol in both 45 RPM single, and LP album format. Riddle's most successful tune was "[[Lisbon Antigua]]", released in November 1955, which reached and remained at the #1 position for four weeks in 1956. Riddle's most notable LPs were ''Hey ... Let Yourself Go'' (1957) and ''C'mon ... Get Happy'' (1958), both of which peaked at a respectable number twenty on the [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] charts. In 1959, he won the [[Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition|Grammy Award for Best Musical Composition First Recorded and Released in 1958 (over 5 minutes' duration)]] at the inaugural award ceremony for ''Cross Country Suite'', which was composed for former bandmate [[Buddy DeFranco]].<ref name=Varobit>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|date=October 8, 1985|page=17|title=Grammy, Oscar-Winner, Nelson Riddle Dies|last=McCarthy|first=Todd|author-link=Todd McCarthy}}</ref> While at Capitol, Riddle continued his successful career arranging music for film, most notably with [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]]'s [[Conrad Salinger]] on the first onscreen duet between [[Bing Crosby]] and Sinatra in ''[[High Society (1956 film)|High Society]]'' (1956), and the 1957 film version of ''[[Pal Joey (film)|Pal Joey]]'' directed by [[George Sidney]] for [[Columbia Pictures]].
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