Randy Brooks

Randolph E. Brooks (March 28, 1917 – March 21, 1967) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader.

Brooks began on trumpet at age six, and by the age of 11 was discovered by Rudy Vallee, and appeared on his Fleischman Hour radio show, and became a permanent member where he played thrilling trumpet solos, but was not allowed to play with the brass section of the band. By the time he was eighteen he was working with Jerry Blane for an entire summer in western New Jersey, followed by Gene Kardos and then Ruby Newman at the Rainbow Room in New York City. He was then hired by Hal Kemp with whom he cut his first records for the Victor label in 1939. After Kemp's death late in 1940, he stayed with the band when Art Jarrett took leadership of the group. By June 1942, he had moved on to Claude Thornhill, followed a few months later by Bob Allen, but within a year he was playing with Les Brown, before founding his own band in early 1945. John Benson Brooks (no relation) contributed arrangements to the ensemble, and Stan Getz played in it in 1946. Among his hits for Decca Records were "Tenderly", "Harlem Nocturne", and "The Man With The Horn", but his swing-based style and large ensemble were out of step with the times, and his success eroded toward the end of the decade.

He married Ina Ray Hutton and moved to Los Angeles, where he suffered a stroke and was unable to continue as a musician. He died at the age of 49 of smoke inhalation in a fire at his Sanford, Maine, apartment. He is buried in Oakdale Cemetery in Sanford, Maine, beside his parents.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 15, 1919 (Sanford), Died March 21, 1967

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-39 of 39 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 73469 3/22/1946 Somebody loves me Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73470 3/22/1946 Without you (Tres palabras) Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73471 3/22/1946 Strange love Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73499 4/12/1946 A night at The Deuces Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73500 4/12/1946 How high the moon Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73501 4/12/1946 Beyond the blue horizon Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73552 5/2/1946 Surrender Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73553 5/2/1946 More than you know Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73558 5/8/1946 One love Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73559 5/8/1946 Holiday forever Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73560 5/8/1946 Beyond the blue horizon Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 74001 7/14/1947 Lamplight Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 74002 7/14/1947 Tenderly Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 74003 7/14/1947 The man with the horn Randy Brooks Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 26-39 of 39 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brooks, Randy," accessed May 1, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/305749.

Brooks, Randy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/305749.

"Brooks, Randy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/305749

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