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Paul Weston

Paul Weston (born Paul Wetstein; March 12, 1912 – September 20, 1996) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor who worked in music and television from the 1930s to the 1970s, pioneering mood music and becoming known as "the Father of Mood Music". His compositions include popular music songs such as "I Should Care", "Day by Day", and "Shrimp Boats". He also wrote classical pieces, including "Crescent City Suite" and religious music, authoring several hymns and masses.

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Weston had a keen interest in music from an early age and learned to play the piano. He was educated at Springfield High School, then attended Dartmouth College and Columbia University.

At Dartmouth he formed his own band and toured with the college band. He joined Columbia's dance band, The Blue Lions, but was temporarily unable to perform following a rail accident, and did some arrangements while he recovered. He sold his first arrangements to Joe Haymes in 1934. When Haymes requested more material, Weston's music was heard by Rudy Vallée, who offered him work on his radio show. Weston met Tommy Dorsey through Haymes and in 1936 became a member of Dorsey's orchestra. He persuaded Dorsey to hire The Pied Pipers after hearing them in 1938, and the group toured with the bandleader.

After leaving Dorsey in 1940, Weston worked with Dinah Shore and moved to Hollywood when he was offered film work. In California he met Johnny Mercer, who invited him to write for his new label, Capitol Records. Weston became music director there, where he worked with singer Jo Stafford and developed the mood music genre. Stafford moved with him to Columbia Records in 1950, and they were married in 1952.

Weston worked extensively in television from the 1950s to the 1970s. He helped start the Grammy Awards, which were first presented in 1959. He was honored with a Grammy Trustees Award in 1971 and spent three years as music director of Disney on Parade.

Weston and Stafford developed a comedy routine where they assumed the guise of a bad lounge act named Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. Their first album was released in 1957. In 1960, their album Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. Weston's work in music is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 12, 1912 (Springfield), Died September 20, 1996 (Santa Monica)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: arranger, songwriter, composer

Notes: Listed as Paul Wetstein on some disc labels.

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 27 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-99950 10-in. 4/3/1936 Royal Garden blues Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor BS-010148 10-in. 5/12/1937 Humoresque Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor BS-010665 10-in. 6/12/1937 Barcarolle Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor BS-023209 10-in. 5/12/1938 Now it can be told Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo arranger  
Victor BS-023212 10-in. 5/12/1938 All through the night Three Esquires ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and male vocal trio arranger  
Victor BS-037135 10-in. 5/22/1939 How am I to know Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble arranger  
Victor BS-037176 10-in. 6/1/1939 I poured my heart into a song Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo arranger  
Victor BS-037648 10-in. 6/15/1939 You don't know how much you can suffer (Until you fall in love) Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo arranger  
Victor BS-037649 10-in. 6/15/1939 Oh! You crazy moon Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo arranger  
Victor BS-037650 10-in. 6/15/1939 Night in Sudan Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor BS-037651 10-in. 6/15/1939 Blue orchids Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo arranger  
Victor BS-038106 10-in. 7/20/1939 Let's disappear! Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo arranger  
Victor BS-038107 10-in. 7/20/1939 Stop! It's wonderful Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo arranger  
Victor PBS-055296 10-in. 2/20/1941 Number ten Lullaby Lane Lou Bring ; Dinah Shore Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor PBS-055297 10-in. 2/20/1941 I'm through with love Lou Bring ; Dinah Shore Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor PBS-055298 10-in. 2/20/1941 Honeysuckle rose Lou Bring ; Dinah Shore Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor PBS-055299 10-in. 2/20/1941 For all time Lou Bring ; Dinah Shore Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor BS-065635 10-in. 5/21/1941 Intermezzo Joan Merrill Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor PBS-072483 10-in. 7/21/1942 A boy in khaki—a girl in lace Dinah Shore ; Paul Wetstein Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor PBS-072560 10-in. 7/30/1942 (Nobody knows better than I) He's my guy Dinah Shore ; Paul Wetstein Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band arranger  
Victor D4VB-1036 10-in. 11/20/1944 I should care The Sentimentalists ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Bonnie Lou Williams Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and female vocal quartet composer  
Victor D6VB-2013 10-in. 2/6/1946 Day by day Martha Stewart Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor D6VB-2108 10-in. 8/22/1946 This time Stuart Foster ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Victor D7VB-0518 10-in. 4/23/1947 Ain'tcha never comin' back Tony Martin Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor D7VB-2254 10-in. 11/22/1947 Talking to myself about you John Paris ; Russ Case Orchestra Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
(Results 1-25 of 27 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Weston, Paul," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103378.

Weston, Paul. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103378.

"Weston, Paul." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103378

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